Testimonials

I have had the opportunity to meet hundreds of patients whose lives and stories have inspired me since facing my own health challenges while playing in the NFL for the San Diego Chargers. But, I will never forget the day I met Valen.  With her blond hair and sparkling brown eyes, her infectious upbeat personality and warm smile, she easily could have stepped off a magazine cover or the set of a talk show.  You certainly never would have guessed that she had gone through incredibly difficult years battling PKD—requiring dialysis and eventually kidney and liver transplants. Through the incredible adversity she has endured, she has changed, become a wise soul, full of gratefulness, and determined to make the most of her second chance.  She is an inspiration to so many and I count it a privilege to call her a friend.

Chef Robert Irvine

When faced with adversity, those who don't crumble are usually just grateful for making it through to the other side. It's a special kind of person, then, who isn't just happy that they made it, but is determined to then help others who are fated to walk the same path. Valen Keefer is that special kind of person. She has taken her new lease on life and is intent on paying it back tenfold, working every day to raise awareness for PKD and organ donation. Her energy, enthusiasm, and positive spirit are hugely important to her cause, and a clarion call to the rest of us to give back to those in need.

Matt Tuthill, Robert Irvine Magazine

When Robert first asked me to write a story about Valen, I couldn't have imagined how invested I was about to become in that story. Truth is always stranger than fiction—one of many things that makes journalism so rewarding—and when I spoke to Valen I understood pretty quickly what unique and fascinating territory I had just stumbled upon. Her story had it all: she has defied death, overcome an endless stream of obstacles, refused to succumb to self-pity, found true love, and committed herself to giving back and contributing real value to the world. By the time I put the finishing touches on her story, I wasn't a journalist anymore; I was just another fan.

Dr. Bhat, Nephrologist

A Spirit Undaunted… I have had the pleasure of serving as Valen’s nephrologist since she moved to California nearly a decade ago. When I see her on my schedule I know it will be a good clinic day, as Valen approaches me with astute clinical questions and has been able to maintain a positive attitude through more than her share of adversity. She came to me already having lived through kidney failure, severe pancreatitis, and a kidney transplant. I have since seen her undergo gallbladder surgery, spinal surgery, multiple bouts of sepsis and ultimately a successful liver transplant. Through it all, rather than dwelling on her own suffering, she has been able to find focus as a passionate and eloquent advocate for the PKD cause. She has contributed significantly to the success of the Walk for PKD at the State Capitol and the PKD Corks for a Cure event annually since their inception. She played a cardinal role in the Donate Life Float Rose Parade in Pasadena promoting transplant and currently as a PKD ambassador for Otsuka. Her story continues to evolve as a noteworthy chapter of my medical career as I watch her growing success in her advocacy efforts. Valen’s resilient spirit and ability to appreciate the positive side of events are truly inspirational.

Buddy Bresnick, Partner Dale Carnegie Training

Valen Keefer inspired and motivated a room full of Dale Carnegie instructors. She impressed all present and is a very gifted speaker with a fantastic story of courage and triumph over adversity. Valen manages to intertwine humor with disaster, happiness with anger, and courage with fear as she presents her heart-gripping life story of survival. There wasn’t a dry eye in the house, and considering the group she was addressing, that was quite a feat.

Dennis McCloskey, Writer

When I first met Valen in 2006, I instinctively knew this is a woman who was not just taking up space on the planet. She struck me as a woman who wants to effect change in the world. In the years that followed, she proved my instincts to be correct! Her passion, determination and dedication in advocating for polycystic kidney disease (PKD) and organ donation inspired me to write her 207-page, award-winning biography in 2008, titled “My Favorite American.” Since then she has tirelessly championed PKD, the miracle of transplantation and the importance of organ donation. Valen continues to grow as an exceptional person, writer and public speaker who continues to make a significant difference in the PKD and transplant community and beyond. Valen has an indominable spirit that will not quit, and her zest for life will lead her on to even greater heights as she continues to make her mark in the world.