Platinum Kidney
CKD ADVOCATE · LOS ANGELES, CA
Living with kidney disease — turning struggle into mission.
Justin Pham has navigated chronic kidney disease since age 9. Today he does peritoneal dialysis seven nights a week, shares his journey with 70,000+ followers worldwide, and is actively searching for a living O+ kidney donor.
Age 34
First diagnosed at 29
70k+
Social media followers
7×
Nights per week on dialysis
O+
Blood type needed for transplant
MY STORY
A life shaped by resilience.
I'm no stranger to kidney disease. Diagnosed with CKD at a young age, I had my first surgery at just nine years old — a procedure that left me with two partial kidneys and a lifetime of careful management ahead.
"At 9, I didn't fully understand what it meant. By 29, I understood everything — and chose not to let it define me."
As I entered adulthood my kidneys gradually lost all function. I chose peritoneal dialysis (PD) as my treatment — which means I'm connected to a machine for 9–10 hours every night, seven nights a week. It's hard. But it keeps me alive, and it keeps me moving forward.
Rather than retreat, I turned my story into a platform. By sharing my journey openly on social media — the hard nights, the hospital visits, the hope — my community grew to 70,000+ followers across TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook. Messages pour in from patients and families navigating the same invisible illness all over the world.
"Kidney disease is invisible until it isn't. My goal is to make it visible — before it's too late for someone else."
I'm currently on the kidney transplant waitlist in Los Angeles and actively searching for a living donor with blood type O+ or O−. A living kidney transplant offers the best long-term outcomes — and it could give me my life back. If you or someone you know is open to learning more, please reach out
Featured in Newsweek and on BBC Radio, and now building PlatinumMeds — a kidney medicine reminder app — because this mission is bigger than me
"Never Fade Into Darkness"
Photos By: Ron Ronson
Newsweek
BBC Radio
YouTube
TikTok 50k+
KIDNEY DONATION
Still searching for a living kidney donor.
Blood type O+ or O− needed
A donor could give me my life back.
A living kidney transplant is the best treatment for kidney failure — with better outcomes and a longer-lasting kidney than from a deceased donor. The surgery is safe for healthy donors, and many live donors go on to lead full, healthy lives with just one kidney.
I'm on the waitlist in Los Angeles, CA. If you're O+ or O− and want to start a conversation — no commitment required — please reach out. Even sharing this page could change everything.
Living donation evaluation is free. Insurance typically covers all donor medical costs.
Contact Justin
541-554-7110
PLATINUM MEDS APP
Built from lived experience.
A kidney medicine reminder app — made by a dialysis patient.
Managing kidney disease means tracking dozens of medications, timing doses precisely, and never missing a report to your care team. I built PlatinumMeds because no existing app understood what dialysis patients actually need.
+
72 kidney medicines
Pre-loaded database of common CKD and dialysis medications
Persistent alarms
Reminders that won't stop until you confirm you've taken your dose
Send reports to your nephrologist
Export and share your full medication log directly from the app
English + Spanish
Fully bilingual to serve the broader kidney disease community
PlatinumMeds
Medication management for kidney patients
Coming Soon to the App store
Free to download · No spam
IN THE NEWS
Featured coverage.
Newsweek
Man with kidney failure shares common symptoms he ignored for years
Feb 15, 2025. Health & Lifestyle
BBC Radio
in conversation with justin pham _ kidney failure and resilience in Los Angeles
2024. Audio feature
YouTube
YouTube
justin,s journey - resillience, kindey disease, and the power of a hopeful spirit
2024. video feature
COMMUNITY
Join the kidney community on Discord.
Connect with other CKD patients, dialysis warriors, caregivers, and donors. Ask questions, share your story, and find support from people who truly understand what you're going through.
Join the Discord
Free to join · Kidney community