Forced to Leave College, Suni Lee Opens Up About Incurable Kidney Diagnosis: ‘I Was…. See more

At the Paris Olympics, Suni Lee was one of the youngest stars on Team USA, taking home a team gold and two individual bronze medals. But her journey was far from easy. Last April, she shocked fans with a big reveal on X, explaining, “I have been dealing with a non-gymnastics health-related issue involving my kidneys. For my safety, the medical team did not clear me to train and compete over the last few weeks.”

It all started in February 2023 when Suni noticed her ankles, face, hands, and legs swelling up. At first, doctors thought it was just an allergic reaction, but when the swelling wouldn’t budge for weeks, they knew something was up. “I just kept getting more swollen… I think I gained, like, 40 pounds… I didn’t even recognize myself,” Suni shared, remembering the struggle. After rounds of testing, doctors hit her with the news—she had not one but two rare, incurable kidney diseases, and this even led to her quitting something.

Suni Lee opens up on her kidney diseases
In a heartfelt chat with Fox 32 Chicago, Suni Lee opened up about her tough journey with kidney disease. She reflected on the shock of her diagnosis, saying, “It was very difficult. I always thought that I was super healthy, so waking up one day not really knowing what was going on was really scary.” The unexpected struggle hit hard, especially since gymnastics was her true love. She continued, “Of course not being able to do the one thing I love, which was gymnastics at the time, it was really difficult.”

Navigating this new reality was even more challenging because “I was away from my family.” Being in college without her usual support system made it all the more overwhelming. Finding the right healthcare team became crucial for her well-being, and she emphasized how important a solid support system was during such a trying time.

Indeed, the role of her healthcare team was nothing short of monumental in her comeback to becoming an Olympic champ. Reflecting on her journey, she shared, “It feels really good. I always find myself having to step back and realize how amazing it is that I’m in this position because I was told I was never going to be able to do gymnastics again.” Can you imagine the sheer determination it took to prove her doctor wrong? For the 21-year-old athlete, overcoming that hurdle

became one of the most incredible experiences of her life. As she teamed up with the American Kidney Fund for their “Know Your Kidneys” campaign, Suni’s journey raises a compelling question: How did she manage to cope with her health struggles while striving for excellence?

How did Suni Lee cope with it?
Even after getting the right diagnosis, Suni Lee had her work cut out for her in terms of adjusting to her new reality. The first

order of business? Taming those pesky symptoms. “I couldn’t even look at myself in the mirror. I didn’t even recognize myself,” she recalled, reflecting on those tough moments during the peak of her illness last year. With the Olympics right around the corner, Suni knew she had to find her way back to the gym, but that was a whole other mountain to climb.
“My coaches have never had to deal with someone who has had two kidney diseases… So it’s all a learning process. And we’re taking it day by day,” she shared at the Team USA Media Summit in April 2024. But you know what? Suni’s champion mentality kicked in, and she refused to let these challenges drag her down.

Suni Lee understood that every athlete faces their own battles, saying, “I know if I was struggling, then a lot of other people were too.” With the right diagnosis in hand, she rolled up her sleeves and tackled her health issues head-on, all while staying committed to her training. And guess what? Her hard work paid off big time, earning her three Olympic medals at the 33rd Summer Games in Paris! How’s that for resilience?