2008 Woodie Awards
Senior vies for 'Kidney Idol'
Zhi Xiong - The Daily Iowan
Issue date: 12/7/07 Section: Metro
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A slew of "Idol" contests - for pets, entrepreneurs, and Frank Sinatra wannabes - have whetted Americans' enthusiasm, said UI Assistant Professor of sociology Alison Bianchi.
But one such competition doesn't involve a snooty, British-accented judge. It isn't even about singing.
On Dec. 17, UI senior Jenna Smith will find out if she has win the national "Kidney Dialysis Idol" contest, hosted by DaVita, which sells dialysis equipment and forums, among other services.
Nominated by her mother with a short essay, she is one of four finalists out of 2,000 contestants nationwide. A Facebook group called "Send me to Alaska" already has more than 200 members, many of which voted for her numerous times.
The prize is a seven-day cruise to Alaska or the Caribbean - complete with physicians and dialysis equipment on board.
With a sprinkle of freckles dotting her olive complexion and a turquoise-colored pendant dangling on a leather cord around her neck, Smith describes herself as the "outdoorsy type" who wants to see Alaska for its natural beauty and vast landscape.
"I was bursting with excitement," she said. " I thought of those crazy ladies on TV who scream when they win something - that's what I felt like."
Smith was diagnosed with dense-deposit disease, formerly known as MPGN type II, when she was a child. Her blood could not be filtered through capillaries in the kidneys to remove waste and fluid.
The excess fluid buildup made her "puffy," Smith said. "I didn't like it. I was in the hospital all the time."
When her kidneys failed at age 7, Smith began dialysis - using artificial methods to clean waste from her system.
It isn't easy for her to travel, though she enjoys hiking. Smith, twin sister Jessica, and two friends brought the 50-pound machine on a recent road trip to the Great Smoky Mountains. Smith completed three-hour nightly dialysis at friends' houses and hotels.
"You don't move it - it's like a TV," she said. "But it made me see I could do this, and I didn't need anyone there except Jessica."
But one such competition doesn't involve a snooty, British-accented judge. It isn't even about singing.
On Dec. 17, UI senior Jenna Smith will find out if she has win the national "Kidney Dialysis Idol" contest, hosted by DaVita, which sells dialysis equipment and forums, among other services.
Nominated by her mother with a short essay, she is one of four finalists out of 2,000 contestants nationwide. A Facebook group called "Send me to Alaska" already has more than 200 members, many of which voted for her numerous times.
The prize is a seven-day cruise to Alaska or the Caribbean - complete with physicians and dialysis equipment on board.
With a sprinkle of freckles dotting her olive complexion and a turquoise-colored pendant dangling on a leather cord around her neck, Smith describes herself as the "outdoorsy type" who wants to see Alaska for its natural beauty and vast landscape.
"I was bursting with excitement," she said. " I thought of those crazy ladies on TV who scream when they win something - that's what I felt like."
Smith was diagnosed with dense-deposit disease, formerly known as MPGN type II, when she was a child. Her blood could not be filtered through capillaries in the kidneys to remove waste and fluid.
The excess fluid buildup made her "puffy," Smith said. "I didn't like it. I was in the hospital all the time."
When her kidneys failed at age 7, Smith began dialysis - using artificial methods to clean waste from her system.
It isn't easy for her to travel, though she enjoys hiking. Smith, twin sister Jessica, and two friends brought the 50-pound machine on a recent road trip to the Great Smoky Mountains. Smith completed three-hour nightly dialysis at friends' houses and hotels.
"You don't move it - it's like a TV," she said. "But it made me see I could do this, and I didn't need anyone there except Jessica."
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