#TeamKidney 2026 Chicago Marathon: Taylor Diaz

Spotlight on #TeamKidneyCHI marathon runner Taylor Diaz, who is also our 2026 Volunteer of the Year!

"Together, we can make a difference — one step, one kidney, and one life at a time."

• 

• 

As a Transplant Nurse Navigator at the University of Chicago Medicine, Taylor has the privilege of helping patients move one step closer to receiving a life-changing kidney transplant. Every day, he witnesses the resilience of those living with kidney disease and the challenges they face while waiting for such a limited resource.

"...numbers aren't just statistics to me; they represent the faces and stories of the patients and families I work with every day."

Taylor is also a Family Nurse Practitioner student at Loyola University Chicago, where his goal is to bridge the gap in transplant access and evaluation, ensuring that distance, resources, or awareness never stand between a patient and the care they deserve.

For him, every mile is dedicated to the individuals still waiting, the families who have lost loved ones, and the hope that one day, no one will die waiting for a kidney.

We're so excited to have Taylor on #TeamKidney & we can't wait to cheer him on at the Bank of America Chicago Marathon on Sunday, October 11, 2026!