Suni Lee Says It 'Feels Really Good' to Prove Her Doctors Wrong After Her Kidney Disease Diagnosis: 'I Was Told I Was Never Going to Be Able to Do Gymnastics Again'

Though six-time Olympic medalist Suni Lee, who earned team gold, bronze in women's all-around and bronze in women's uneven bars at the 2024 Paris Olympics — was diagnosed with two rare kidney diseases last year, she's learned she's resilient.

"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, so being able to prove my doctor wrong was probably one of the most amazing experiences," the athlete 21, exclusively told OK! while discussing her collaboration with the American Kidney Fund on their “Know Your Kidneys” campaign. "My doctor was at the Olympic trials, so he got to see everything, and he's seen me work my way up. When he first saw me, I was at my lowest, so it's been amazing to have such an amazing healthcare team but also getting to learn more about myself mentally."

"I have realized how much stronger I am and how important it is to advocate for myself and speak up even when my voice is shaking," the brunette beauty continued. "That's the most important part about my story."

Lee realized something was going on with her body when she gained over 45 pounds in the span of two weeks, and she couldn't bend her legs due to them being so swollen.

"When I was first diagnosed, my doctors didn't want to listen to me," she admitted. "They told me it was just allergies. So, having to advocate for myself and making sure I was getting the right treatment plan was really important because I was doing gymnastics as well, and then getting told I was never going to do gymnastics was really heartbreaking. In the beginning, it was super hard for me to talk about it because I didn't really know what I was talking about, whereas now I feel a little more educated about it because I've had to learn more about kidney disease and more about my body. I know if I was struggling then a lot of other people were too."

Since Lee wants people to be informed about their bodies, it made perfect sense for her to team up with the American Kidney Fund (AKF) for the organization’s “Know Your Kidneys” initiative. Together with LaVarne Burton, President and CEO of American Kidney Fund, they shed light on unknown causes of kidney disease and share resources that can help those seeing a diagnosis.

"It has been such an amazing experience," Lee gushed. "I really wanted to raise more awareness about kidney disease and then the American Kidney Fund has made such a big impact on the kidney community. I wanted people to know how important it is to advocate for yourself when seeking a diagnosis."

Now, Lee is excited to connect with others. "It feels so good. I get emails and DMs every single day of people telling me their stories, and it means so much that people feel comfortable that they can share their stories with me. I want to be an outlet for others, I want other people to learn from my experience and hear my story because I wanna hear theirs, too!" she said.

"I struggled speaking about it. I used to be so embarrassed not because I had kidney disease but because I didn't know what I was talking about," she continued. "I didn't want to share wrong information but getting to speak about it and learning more about it has made me feel so much more comfortable in my own skin."

For more information, click here: www.KidneyFund.org/KnowYourKidneys.