Luz Baqueiro, Patient Advocate

Luz Baqueiro was born in Ensenada, Baja California, MX. She moved to the United States at the age of 10, she is currently 30 years old and has been living in the city of Marietta, GA for the past 20 years. Luz has worked in the Atlanta Public School district for the past 4 years as a bilingual community liaison assisting and supporting immigrant families around the school district. She is currently undergoing a transition to a new position with Horizons Regional Atlanta- a Non-profit organization serving underserved communities by providing high quality enrichment summer-camps for students below grade level as their Enrollment and Records Manager.

Luz was diagnosed with Focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) a disease in which scar tissue develops on the parts of the kidneys that filter waste out of the blood in 2015. Due to her lack of awareness of kidney disease she went untreated, in 2019 (4 years later) Luz was rushed to the Emergency room after experiencing life threatening symptoms. At the time of her diagnosis, she was uninsured and took emergency-dialysis only roughly for a year. Luz is a current DACA holder, she is considered undocumented enabling her to obtain any federal or state assistance for her chronic condition at that time in states like Georgia. After exploring, researching, and exhausting all her options to receive care in-clinic Luz purchased private insurance regardless of cost or additional financial help Luz was determined to obtain in-clinic dialysis, and in August of 2021 Luz received a kidney transplant from a deceased donor.

After her lived experience, shared time, and relationships built with her community who also suffered from kidney disease and are currently taking emergency-dialysis only due to healthcare disparities, Luz was inspired and determined to raise awareness, advocate and push for policy change for states like Georgia. During her free time Luz volunteers her time with her local community by bringing emotional support, informal kidney disease educational resources, small fundraisers, registering patients to private health insurance, serving as an advocate, voice, and conducting small fundraisers when needed. Luz is also part of several committees with the National Kidney Foundation with the hopes that her lived experience can give professionals a better understanding and insight of the needs of her community with the end goal of change.