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 season 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 needed to return again from Tokyo 2020 and it wasn’t like we have been simply redeeming ourselves within the group remaining, however we needed to redeem ourselves in so many different methods,” the gymnast instructed Journey + Leisure just lately. “There was simply a lot that we felt like we did not get to do final time that we needed 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, after all, 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 overlook,” 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 circumstances, based on the Nationwide Institute of Diabetes and Digest and Kidney Illnesses (NIDDK), kidney illness encompasses quite a lot of circumstances together with diabetes and lupus nephritis. Signs for kidney circumstances differ however can embody edema, fatigue, muscle cramps, complications and nausea.

Following her analysis, 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 best way she travels for her job. However regardless of the barrage of signs she was coping with, Lee pressed on and labored intently together with her medical group to regulate her coaching program, persevering with to compete whereas managing her well being.

“It has been very anxious. Going to camps, touring on a regular basis, my schedule will get slightly bit loopy,” she mentioned. “However my healthcare group and I, we have simply provide you with such a tremendous routine that is been really easy to do whereas I am touring, and even after I’m not touring, it is simply been actually constant. I believe simply having an incredible healthcare group and assist system has been most likely one of the best factor that might have got here out of this.”

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

In an effort to assist others going through 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 individuals on the necessities of kidney well being in addition to sharing assets for these in search of a analysis.

“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 be told about their kidney well being and self-advocate for a remedy plan that may enable them to stay their finest life.”

And she or he’s definitely 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 attempting 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 fascinated 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 attempting to be taught extra about that and be extra engaged in one thing that is not gymnastics. I simply need to take it day-to-day and see the place it takes me.”