Ep85 The Millennial Business Revolution with IVYE Wear and Dax Francis

It started in 2003, at the young age of 12, when Dax was diagnosed with Nephrotic Syndrome (a disorder that causes the body to excrete too much protein in the urine), and then later Focal Segmental Glomeruloscerosis (FSGS), a rare disease that attacks the kidney’s filtering units (glomerul) causing serious scarring. Dax’s FSGS eventually progressed to end-stage renal failure. So, at age 18, Dax began dialysis. A college student, traveling 2 hours each way for dialysis treatment, it became apparent that Dax had to put his studies on the back burner. These late teen and early adult years for Dax were dominated by grueling dialysis treatment. “My first reaction to dialysis was shock,” he recalls, “even though I had been a chronic kidney disease patient for 6 years at the time I started dialysis—everything was new, and everything was scary.” The first signs that Dax was a warrior were evident as he fought through his treatment. Dax describes the first couple months of living on dialysis as, “Absolute torture. Every morning seemed worse than the one before, and the nausea was one of the hardest things to get used to. I struggled to eat enough to sustain my body. It is very hard to force yourself to eat when the thought of food only makes you sicker to your stomach. It is a vicious cycle that is very hard to cope with at first.”

In addition to the many physical side effects of dialysis that Dax adjusted to, he also struggled with the emotional toll it took on him, “For the longest time, I shut everyone out and pushed everyone away. I created a vacuum of depression and sadness. Dialysis changed me in a way that I felt no one understood. I looked the same, better, in fact, due to the weight loss, but inside I was dying.” But once again, Dax took his challenges head on and not only continues to survive, but to grow as a person while he is doing it. “I used to hide the fact that I was on dialysis, and now I proclaim it proudly, because it is something that not everyone can do. As chronically ill patients, we should always take pride in what we go through every day. It takes strength, fortitude, and a willingness to fight against the adversity thrown at you.”

Finally, in 2012 Dax received a kidney transplant and what would appear to be a new lease on life—no more dialysis and re-enrollment in college. But things soon took a turn for the worse. Less than a month after Dax’s transplant, the FSGS recurred in the new kidney. This news was crushing to Dax, as he recalls “the disappointment, depression and sadness that came from learning that my first transplanted kidney was showing signs of FSGS. It was almost too much for me to take.” Never giving up and determined to take advantage of the gift he was given, Dax stayed enrolled in school despite failing health and dialysis three days a week. He attained his Bachelor’s degree in Social Work.

Once again, dialysis became a prominent part of Dax’s life. Admitting that it is very hard to be a relatively young patient in treatment, Dax decided he was going to resist a path of isolation and negativity. “I struggle to pass the time still today. It is a constant battle to keep my mind engaged in something positive, and not dwell on where I am.” In fact, Dax began filming some short 5 minute videos during his dialysis treatments. The videos not only take up a good amount of time, but are something Dax finds resonates with many other patients. His inspirational and motivational videos have become an effective way to reach out to fellow patients and got him thinking, “Let’s do something bigger!” Pursuing an idea that came to Dax when he first began treatment, Dax unselfishly set his sights on founding a clothing company, Ivye Wear, LLC. Dax and his company champion for the rights of the sick, creating comfortable, accessible clothing for spoonies (individuals living with a chronic disease). These garments are designed to inspire strength, preserve dignity, and grow hope for those with chronic illness. Dax also considers his business a a leader in the Millennial Business Revolution in which compassion, empathy, and kindness in the community’s businesses serve take precedent over the bottom line. We want to bring the world together with the strength and wisdom of those who are everyday superheroes, fighting just to get through the day, often in silence. Acting as a warrior again, Dax aims “to be the change I want to see…to bring hope to anyone who is struggling.” Well on his way to his goal of being “an advocate for organ donation, rare disease research and bringing awareness to vital causes related to chronic kidney disease at the highest level,” Dax, first and foremost, is admirably committed to helping others.

Turning his hardships into good deeds every day, Dax, with the support of his girlfriend Missy Allen, continues to find the strength to live while bringing hope to others, “I draw strength from everything I go through – I look at everything like a battle. I’m facing a future of battles and even though there will be bad days, weeks or months, they won’t last forever. The sun will come out again.” Dax is not sure if he wants to receive another transplant because of the odds of its success (the chance of FSGS returning is higher than with the first transplant) and the fact that it could take a healthy organ away from someone else. So, for now, as we would expect from Dax, he continues to show resilience and lift up others by doing great things.

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The #Biz4GoodShow
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August 16, 2018

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