For 16 years, Latisha B. has worked as a medical assistant alongside Dr. Ebonee Davis, an internal medicine physician at The South Bend Clinic (SBC). Throughout her career, Latisha has been driven by a deep dedication to helping others. Now, as she faces her own health challenges, she draws upon the same strength and compassion that she has always offered her patients to guide her through this difficult time.
Latisha’s battle with kidney disease began at 19 when she was diagnosed with a hereditary condition. For years, she managed her health with regular monitoring, which kept her condition stable at stage 3. However, in November 2023, a routine physical with Dr. Davis revealed unexpected results — her condition had advanced to stage 5.
“Dr. Davis sat me down in her office, and I was wondering, ‘What’s going on? What could be so serious that we need to talk?’” Latisha recalled. “She said, ‘I believe you’re at stage five.” Latisha’s nephrologist later confirmed the diagnosis.
“I couldn’t believe it. It felt like my world had just crashed,” Latisha shared.
Soon after, Latisha began preparing for a kidney transplant at IU Health University Hospital in Indianapolis. In the meantime, she continued the job she loves. Though her health was deteriorating, she wasn’t ready to admit it to herself. “I started swelling up, and one Friday, after we finished seeing patients, Dr. Davis called me into her office,” Latisha said. “She told me, ‘I’ve noticed you haven’t been able to make it through a whole day of work. I’ve been watching you.”
Her face, abdomen, and legs were swollen. Together, they decided it was time for the next step: dialysis. Although Latisha initially resisted stepping back from her role at the clinic, Dr. Davis helped her understand the importance of prioritizing her health.
“When it came to my health, she said, ‘Tisha, you need to think about yourself,’” Latisha recalled. “I love her for that. She basically saved my life because I wasn’t going to tell anyone.”
Even while undergoing dialysis three times a week, Latisha remains dedicated to serving others. On her non-dialysis days, she visits the clinic to check in on patients and colleagues, offering encouragement and support. “I come by the clinic on my off days just to see how everyone is doing,” she said. “I love seeing my patients, and they smile when they see me.”
Latisha’s positivity extends beyond the clinic as well. Known affectionately as “mama girl,” she serves as president of a women’s organization focused on community service, where she organizes events, mentors young women, and gives back to her community. “Helping people is what I love,” Latisha said. “It’s what keeps me going.”
Her husband has been identified as a perfect donor match, and Latisha is hopeful about her kidney transplant, scheduled for early 2025. She has been deeply touched by the outpouring of support from her SBC colleagues. “My practice manager signed up to be a donor to see if she’s a match, and one of our nurse practitioners donated her PTO time,” she said. “I was blown away. For them to do that for me, all I can do is cry and thank them.” Latisha remains optimistic as she looks to the future.
“When I get my kidney, I can’t wait to get back to work and back to where I was,” she said. “I’m so ready for it.”
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