A publication of Freedom Resource Center for Independent Living, Inc.
SUMMER 2026
A Fresh Start After a Rare Diagnosis What began as a small bruise on Sara’s leg during Labor Day weekend of 2024 quickly turned into a life-changing medical crisis. “At first, I was worried about a blood clot,” Sara recalled. “But it just kept getting worse.” Within weeks, Sara found herself hospitalized with severe pain, wounds that would not heal, kidney failure requiring dialysis, and eventually a diagnosis so rare that many people, including some healthcare professionals, had never encountered before: calciphylaxis.
Calciphylaxis is a rare and serious condition most commonly associated with end-stage kidney disease and dialysis. In Sara’s case, doctors explained that her condition was especially unusual because of her age and how rapidly it progressed.
“I was ready to take my life back.” SARA H.