Gold Coast nurse works full-time while awaiting third kidney transplant

Gold Coast nurse Daniel Hoepner, 30, balances a demanding full-time role in the Clinical Response Unit with his own serious health battle. He is living with kidney failure and is awaiting his third kidney transplant, a challenge he faces while helping patients in medical emergencies.

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I definitely don't make it known to patients. I think they've got enough going on to not be worrying about their nurse being unwell.

Hoepner was diagnosed with congenital nephrotic syndrome of the Finnish type shortly after birth, a severe genetic disorder that causes the kidneys to leak protein. This condition led to his kidneys failing and necessitated dialysis and transplants for survival. He spent his early life in and out of hospitals, experiencing significant swelling as an infant.

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But I actually found when I wasn't working, I was a lot more tired.

He received his first kidney transplant at age six from his stepfather, which provided over 16 years of improved health. However, this transplant began to fail as he started his nursing career. A second transplant was facilitated through a paired kidney exchange program, involving his mother donating a kidney to a stranger to enable him to receive a compatible organ. Now, this second transplant is also failing, and his partner has offered to donate a kidney.

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[Work is] something to take my mind off it, something to do, keep my brain active, and obviously my body active too.

Despite the rigorous schedule of six-hour dialysis treatments every second day, Hoepner continues to work full-time. He finds that his work serves as a vital distraction, keeping his mind and body active. He chooses not to disclose his condition to patients, believing they have enough to contend with without worrying about their nurse's health.

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When I was born, my mum saw something was wrong. I was just like a little football, really swollen.