Gymnast Suni Lee Displays on Navigating Paris Olympics With Kidney Illness and What the Future Holds

Suni Lee captivated the world’s consideration final summer time on the Olympic Video games in Paris as an unstoppable gymnast, who, alongside her teammates, clinched the gold medal within the all-around competitors.

“We wished to come back again from Tokyo 2020 and it wasn’t like we have been simply redeeming ourselves within the staff closing, however we wished to redeem ourselves in so many different methods,” the gymnast instructed Journey + Leisure lately. “There was simply a lot that we felt like we did not get to do final time that we wished to do that time, and that is precisely what we did.”

The 21-year-old additionally received two bronze medals for the person all-around and uneven bars on the Paris Video games (she received gold, silver and bronze medals on the Tokyo video games), which was, in fact, a spotlight of the entire expertise.

“Getting that medal and simply taking all of it in within the second was essentially the most wonderful feeling ever. And it is one thing that I am by no means gonna neglect,” she mentioned.

Lee’s journey to the 2024 Olympics, nonetheless, was something however easy, as she was identified in with not one however two types of kidney illness the yr prior.

Whereas Lee hasn’t disclosed specifics of her situations, in response to the Nationwide Institute of Diabetes and Digest and Kidney Illnesses (NIDDK), kidney illness encompasses quite a lot of situations together with diabetes and lupus nephritis. Signs for kidney situations fluctuate however can embrace edema, fatigue, muscle cramps, complications and nausea.

Following her prognosis, Lee introduced she can be placing her NCAA gymnastics profession at Auburn College on maintain for six months. At that time limit, her participation within the Paris 2024 Olympics was unsure as her day-to-day life was impacted instantly in addition to the way in which she travels for her job. However regardless of the barrage of signs she was coping with, Lee pressed on and labored carefully along with her medical staff to regulate her coaching program, persevering with to compete whereas managing her well being.

“It has been very traumatic. Going to camps, touring on a regular basis, my schedule will get somewhat bit loopy,” she mentioned. “However my healthcare staff and I, we have simply provide you with such an incredible routine that is been really easy to do whereas I am touring, and even once I’m not touring, it is simply been actually constant. I feel simply having an important healthcare staff and assist system has been in all probability the very best factor that would have got here out of this.”

Although Lee’s journey has been robust, her resilience prevailed.

In an effort to assist others dealing with comparable struggles — one in seven adults within the U.S. have persistent kidney illness — Lee has partnered with the American Kidney Fund (AKF) as a part of the group’s “Know Your Kidneys” initiative.

Lee and LaVarne A. Burton, President and CEO of AKF, have been educating folks on the necessities of kidney well being in addition to sharing assets for these in search of a prognosis.

“I do know firsthand that kidney illness can occur at any age, and generally the reason for your illness is not clear-cut,” Lee mentioned. “However I need to encourage others to learn about their kidney well being and self-advocate for a remedy plan that may permit them to stay their greatest life.”

And he or she’s actually following her personal recommendation. The style fanatic simply moved to New York the place she is pursuing quite a lot of initiatives whereas considering the 2028 Summer season Olympics in Los Angeles.

“It has been an adjustment — being a Minnesota lady from the suburbs. However I’ve simply been actually making an attempt to stay my life and be with out gymnastics. LA isn’t out of the image, however it’s undoubtedly not one thing that I am enthusiastic about proper now,” she mentioned. “I need to take a break and let my thoughts heal, let my physique heal, and simply attempt to get pleasure from each single second and have enjoyable. I’m actually into the style stuff proper now, so it has been actually enjoyable making an attempt to study extra about that and be extra engaged in one thing that is not gymnastics. I simply need to take it daily and see the place it takes me.”