Blackfoot native takes kidney disease advocacy to Capitol Hill
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BLACKFOOT — Three years after receiving a life-saving kidney transplant, Blackfoot native Adrian Ropp found himself walking the halls of Congress.
The former Disney story artist traveled to Washington, D.C., to share his journey with lawmakers and advocate for policies to improve the lives of those with kidney disease as a patient ambassador with Dialysis Patient Citizens (DPC).
After being diagnosed with kidney failure in 2022, Ropp’s life changed drastically. Dialysis became his reality until he received a life-saving kidney transplant thanks to donor Cpl. Albert Luce, a 13-year Bannock County Sheriff’s Office veteran, who died from injuries sustained in an ATV crash.
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The family of Ropp’s kidney donor was a Secret Santa recipient in 2023.
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During his time on dialysis, Ropp said he made friends with many fellow patients, only to see them disappear from treatment.
“I remember thinking, ‘Someday, if I get a kidney and make it outside that door, I’m going to become an advocate for those with kidney disease,'” he said.
Shortly after receiving his transplant, Ropp said DPC contacted him about becoming a patient ambassador, believing he would be a good advocate for the organization.
“I took some time to learn more about the foundation,” he said. “I got this amazing second chance. I felt like this is what I was meant to do.”
In June, Ropp traveled to Washington, D.C., where he joined about 50 other kidney patients and transplant recipients in meetings with members of Congress and their staff on Capitol Hill. The trip also marked the third anniversary of his transplant.
The group advocated for policies aimed at improving kidney care for the millions of Americans living with kidney disease.
Ropp said the group advocated for the Kidney Care Access Protection Act (H.R. 6214), which would expand access to innovative kidney treatments and improve screening and patient education, and the Restore Protections for Dialysis Patients Act. S. 1173 aims to strengthen insurance protections for people receiving dialysis.
“They’re about giving patients better options, and I would urge people to reach out to their lawmakers and ask them to cosponsor the bills,” Ropp said. “Kidney disease is not about politics; it’s about people. People tend to write off those who are on dialysis, but these are human beings with goals and dreams who have things to offer the world.”
Ropp, who now lives in Utah, said he made it a point to meet with lawmakers from both Idaho and Utah.
“I want people affected by kidney disease to know there’s someone originally from little Blackfoot, Idaho, who’s out there fighting for them,” he said.
Ropp said that while the “wheels of progress move slowly,” he came away encouraged by the experience and plans to return next year to continue advocating for kidney disease patients.
These days, Ropp said his health is good but “good in a different way.”
“I have no immune system, so I have to be careful,” he said. “But it’s all the cost of living, and I am grateful.”
Ropp, who spent 35 years in the entertainment industry working for Disney and Warner Bros., was a guest on EastIdahoNews.com’s “7 Questions with Emmy,” where he discussed his career and kidney transplant journey.
Watch the full interview below.