My name is Emmitt Henderson III, and my journey with Lupus has been anything but ordinary. Diagnosed over three decades ago, I’ve faced countless battles, but none more life-altering than the fight against kidney failure, caused by Lupus Nephritis, that has changed the course of my life. After enduring multiple hospitalizations, organ failures, dialysis treatments, and near-death experiences, I found myself on a mission, not just for healing, but for hope. That hope came in the form of searching for a living kidney donor.
Out of this complicated journey, I created Male Lupus Warriors Corp, an organization dedicated to empowering men living with lupus and chronic illness. I wanted to create a space that wasn’t available for me during my struggles. Through my platform, I’ve had the honor of advocating nationwide speaking at conferences, attending policy events like Rare Kidney on the Hill Day, and educating communities about organ donation and health equity. My advocacy has earned me awards and recognition, but the real reward is knowing that my story is helping others rise through their health struggles.
I’ve traveled across and outside the country to share my truth, connect with fellow warriors, and amplify the voices of those often overlooked. And now, I’m proud to say I’m also an author, using storytelling to leave a legacy of strength and transformation.
I didn’t know I had a story till I told my story and this is my space to reflect, educate, and inspire. This is how I turn my pain into power.
Greg Lewis has over 21 years of working in the pharmaceutical marketing sector at large global agencies as well as small boutique shops. In 2019, he joined Calcium as President and Managing Partners – prior roles included Managing Partner at WPP’s Grey Health Group and President at Havas Health and You.
With a range of experience from biologics to toothpaste, and from large DTC-launched brands to specialty products, he has a keen understanding of the fundamentals needed to drive brand growth in today’s marketplace. He has acted as an integrated world-wide team lead on large global brands for J&J, Pfizer, and Bayer, yet he understands the nuances of becoming a trusted partner at more agile and entrepreneurial client organizations.
Greg has led multiple cross-functional marketing launches and campaigns including all on- and off-line professional promotion, medical education, pharmacy outreach, PR and DTC efforts. He likes to connect the dots and has served in lead integration roles as a Brand Chemist for JNJ’s anti-TNF Golimumab, a US Team Leader for Boehriger Ingelheim and as a Global Brand Leader over-seeing Pfizer’s Hematology portfolio.
Greg received a dual degree in marketing communications and political science from Villanova University. He has taken executive classes at the Tuck Business School at Dartmouth and the Harvard Business School. In 2017 and 2020, he was recognized as a Transformational Leader by PM360 and in 2020 was named as one of the 100 Most Inspiring People by Pharma Voice. He sits on two non-profit boards and lives in Mt Lakes, NJ with his wife and 5 children.
Howard is a Managing Director and focuses on healthcare investments at Asahi Kasei, a diversified conglomerate based in Tokyo. A physician by training, Howard has over 20 years of experience investing in innovative public and private healthcare companies. Prior to Asahi Kasei, he was an investor at Hambrecht and Quist Capital (a leading healthcare fund) and Advent International (one of the largest global private equity firms). His early career includes time at The Advisory Board Company and Goldman Sachs.
Howard received his AB in Economics from Harvard University where he was a member of the Varsity Tennis Team. He then received his MD from Tufts University School of Medicine. Howard lives in the Boston area with his wife and three children.
Passionate. Unique. Loyal. Resilient. These words are commonly used to describe Sharron S. Rouse. Sharron is an experienced leader with a demonstrated history of working in the education and nonprofit industries. She is skilled in program coordination, leadership, community outreach, and curriculum development. Sharron is a strong educational professional with an Administrator certification focused in Educational Leadership and Administration.
A native of the Washington, DC Metropolitan area, she has dedicated her life to influencing the world as a kidney disease, dialysis, and now transplant survivor. Sharron actively shares her story to bring hope and healing to anyone facing difficult circumstances in life. To expand the scope of her reach, Sharron founded Kindness for Kidneys International, Inc., a nonprofit organization dedicated to educating, encouraging, and empowering kidney warriors and their families. Sharron lives in Maryland with her husband Shawn and daughter Kyla.
Chet Alan Bennett aka Chef Bennet; Licensed Cosmetologist; School Owner; Salon Owner; Radio Host; Conference Host; Instructor; Motivational Speaker; Author; Executive Producer; and Founder of a non-profit. These are some of the many titles that Mr. Chet A. Bennett has held over the years while being a successful businessman. He is a proud graduate of Morehouse College with a BA in Religion and a Master’s Degree in Educational Administration and Supervision from Howard University. From holding contracts for the Correctional Corporation of America and the DC Department of Corrections, to coordinating conferences, producing the documentary, “Don’t Put Down the Clippers,” writing the book “My Business is the Beauty Business,” and owning 6 salons, two daycare centers, and a beauty school, Mr. Bennett has achieved great heights in all his endeavors. Although he has held a strong role in the beauty industry for over 29 years, C. Alan Bennett has been cooking and catering since 1992.
It wasn’t until he received a kidney transplant that he decided to spend the rest of his life dedicated to the culinary industry. He created The C. Alan Foundation to not only bring awareness to the kidney disease community, but to educate the community on how to create a healthy lifestyle. Under the foundation, The Kidney Kafe’ with Chef Benne’, and the Kidney Conversations Talk Show was created. C. Alan has become a sought-after caterer at the Bennett Career Institute, The Kidney Kafe Pop-ups; a personal Chef; an inspiring Chef host on a progressive cooking show that airs on The Urban Television Network; his YouTube channel, and his website kidney-kafe.com.
He is now partnering with Access Housing Inc., a Southeast DC Veteran’s Service Center catering meals for the homeless, and is set to air his cooking show this spring on DCTV. He also has a book about a healthy eating lifestyle coming out in April “From the Ground to the Gut.” Chef Benne’ started the Kidney Kafe Garden in Washington DC’s most economically challenged community growing spices and sustainable food for the local area. There is much more to come from C. Alan Bennett, as his impact in the culinary community has just begun.
Kindness for Kidneys International Received an Honorable Mention
Lyfebulb, a patient-empowerment platform that connects patients with industry experts to support user-driven innovation, and CVS Kidney Care®, a CVS Health® (NYSE: CVS) company, are excited to announce that OmniLife was selected as the winner, and Kindness for Kidneys International received an honorable mention, at the 2022 Lyfebulb–CVS Kidney Care® Innovation Challenge: Accelerating Innovations in Kidney Disease to Improve Health Equity and Outcomes.
“True equity means everyone has the opportunity to attain their full health potential,” said Jesse Roach, MD, Senior Medical Director, Health Equity at CVS Kidney Care®. “We applaud OmniLife, Kindness for Kidneys and the other challenge finalists for their efforts to address barriers to care that make preventing and managing kidney disease difficult.”
OmniLife was represented by Co-Founder and CEO Dalton Shaull and will receive a $25,000 monetary award to further develop its end-to-end communication and collaboration solution purpose-built for transplant teams to automate the intake and patient referral management process to provide better outcomes, reduce costs and create an optimal experience for clinicians and their patients.
Additionally, the judges awarded Kindness for Kidneys International, represented by Founder and Executive Director Sharron Rouse, honorable mention for its dedication to educating, encouraging, and empowering kidney warriors and their families.
The 2022 Innovation Challenge took place in Austin, TX over two days on May 18-19. Before a panel of independent judges, each of the ten finalists pitched solutions for bringing equitable care to kidney disease patients. Finalists also had the opportunity to listen to keynotes from leaders in the kidney and health care space, as well as community health leaders in Austin, and take part in two small group learning sessions.
“The level of innovation presented by each finalist was impressive and inspiring, and we look forward to seeing their ventures grow and help to address the disparities that so often prevent access to care and negatively impact health outcomes for those in the CKD and ESRD community,” said Karin Hehenberger, MD, Ph.D., Founder and CEO of Lyfebulb. “As a person living with chronic kidney disease and having gone through a living donor kidney transplant, I was especially excited and encouraged by the potential impact these innovations will have on the patient community.”
To continue their commitment to patient entrepreneurship and to raising awareness about health inequities among those in the CKD and ESRD community, Lyfebulb and CVS Kidney Care® will be hosting a Fireside Chat with Dalton Shaull and Sharron Rouse, jury member Jennifer Miller of CVS Kidney Care®, and key opinion leader, Jesse Roach, MD, of CVS Kidney Care®, on Wednesday, June 1 at 4 p.m. EST. This virtual discussion is open to all community members, and more information can be found on Transplantlyfe.com/webinars.
To learn more about CVS Kidney Care®’s work to address equitable health care, visit cvskidneycare.com.
About CVS Kidney Care®
CVS Kidney Care® is reimagining the future of kidney health – because patients deserve care that helps them live on their own terms. Our unmatched patient insights, grounded in the connectivity of CVS Health ®, link data and clinical knowledge to create a personalized approach that breaks down barriers to care, including systemic barriers that have led to disparities in kidney health. Our end-to-end approach is flexible and customizable to help support a truly patient-centered experience. No matter where people are in their kidney-health journey, we help them connect to an integrated network of options that make care easier to understand, more accessible, and suited to their needs. We are changing kidney care as we know it because the more than 37 million Americans living with chronic kidney disease deserve more than twentieth-century solutions. Learn more at cvskidneycare.com.