When a provider encounters barrier after barrier, even the first step forward can feel uncertain.
That was the case when a man in his mid-60s walked into a Tennessee safety-net clinic for what appeared to be a routine visit. He simply needed a surgical referral for a large umbilical hernia. Through a translator, he explained that he had diabetes, high blood pressure and was still taking medications he had been prescribed previously outside of the US —names unfamiliar to the clinician in front of him.
But once his lab results came back, the picture grew even murkier. His kidney function was reduced—a common but serious complication of diabetes, the leading cause of kidney disease and kidney failure worldwide. His platelet count was low, his thyroid levels were nearly undetectable, and his anemia was pronounced.
With no insurance and few options for follow-up testing, the provider wasn’t sure where to start. He decided to submit the consult through MAVEN Project, a nonprofit that links clinicians in community and safety-net clinics with expert volunteer physicians nationwide. The consult landed with Dr. Lucius Wright, a nephrologist in Jackson, Tennessee, who’s seen his share of cases that look tangled at first—but with patience and precision, often reveal a clear path forward.
“Just goes to show,” Dr. Wright said, “a simple consult can get very complicated.”
After reviewing the case, Dr. Wright noticed something subtle but significant: a severely low thyroid level.
“The thyroid hormone is an important driver of metabolism,” he explained. “When it’s low, you see changes like skin thickening, fluid retention, and kidney function can decline, too.”
His guidance was simple: fix the obvious first. Dr. Wright suggested treating the thyroid then reassessing—holding off on expensive renal testing until the patient’s thyroid was stabilized.
“If the thyroid is corrected and everything else normalizes, you’ve solved it without unnecessary cost. And if not, you can move forward from there,” he said. “You don’t have to fire off every test just because you can.”
For this uninsured patient, Dr. Wright’s measured approach meant relief from unnecessary costs and a clear, achievable path to better health. For his clinician, it meant confidence and a clearer path moving forward.
This encounter also illustrates the growing power of collaboration between MAVEN Project and the American Kidney Fund (AKF). In March 2025, the two organizations launched a partnership to strengthen kidney care in underserved communities, improving access to the same kind of expert guidance Dr. Wright offered that day.
Together, AKF and MAVEN Project are working to amplify early detection and treatment of kidney disease, reduce unnecessary testing, and equip clinicians in safety-net and rural clinics with evidence-based education and continuing medical training.
“Frontline clinicians at MAVEN Project partner clinics are dedicated medical professionals working to deliver the best possible outcomes for patients with kidney disease, often in difficult circumstances,” said Meredith Schanda, MAVEN Project’s chief operating officer. “The resources, education and referral capacity through our partnership with AKF will help us increase much-needed support to clinicians in the multiple sectors we serve.”
For AKF, this collaboration aligns with its commitment to Kidney Health for All—a national pledge to advance health equity in kidney care. According to AKF, systemic barriers and social inequities place Black and Hispanic communities at higher risk for kidney failure and end-stage kidney disease, while also limiting access to transplants. Kidney Health For All is AKF’s pledge to tear down these obstacles through education, advocacy, prevention programs and community collaboration.
For Dr. Wright, those big-picture efforts are made real in the smallest of encounters. In each consult and patient who might otherwise have fallen through the cracks.
Sometimes, the best medicine isn’t about doing more—it’s about taking it one step at a time.
And when you fix the known first, the rest often falls into place.
About MAVEN Project
MAVEN Project (Medical Alumni Volunteer Expert Network) is a national telehealth nonprofit that strengthens frontline care by connecting primary care providers with volunteer physicians across 70 specialties. Partnering with more than 625 individual clinic sites — including FQHCs and free and charitable clinics— in 37 states, MAVEN equips clinicians with provider-to-provider support through medical consults, medical education, and mentoring.
About the American Kidney Fund
The American Kidney Fund (AKF) fights kidney disease on all fronts as the nonprofit with the greatest direct impact on people with kidney disease. AKF works on behalf of the 1 in 7 American adults living with kidney disease, and the millions more at risk, with an unmatched scope of programs that support people wherever they are in their fight against kidney disease—from prevention through post-transplant living. AKF fights for kidney health for all through programs that address early detection, disease management, financial assistance, clinical research, innovation and advocacy.
