Witnessing my grandfather battle the hurdles of chronic kidney disease was a life-changing learning experience for me. I was only 10 years old when he was diagnosed with kidney disease secondary to long-standing diabetes mellitus type 2. Losing his father at a noticeably young age posed him with family responsibilities, thus minimal room to focus on his health. When I was 16, he underwent a left nephrectomy secondary to emphysematous pyelonephritis as a complication of diabetes mellitus. His kidney function continued to deteriorate and eventually reached kidney failure needing intermittent hemodialysis.