For years, Tanner Chambers has been a familiar voice for Seattle country music fans, waking up listeners each morning as a host on 98.9 The Bull.
“The best part of my job is hanging out with my friends every morning,” Chambers said. “Whether that’s hanging with people in the studio, whether that’s Bull Nation calling in…that’s what the show is all about.”
But just weeks ago, Chambers found himself fighting for his life.
What began as trouble breathing and a feeling that “something was up” quickly became a medical emergency.
“I’m not the type of person that really goes to the ER, or even the doctor that often,” Chambers said. “But I just noticed something was up. And this was different.”
Within hours of arriving at the hospital, Chambers said doctors placed him in a medically induced coma after his body wasn’t getting enough oxygen. He said his kidneys were failing, and he underwent biopsies, dialysis and plasma treatments as doctors searched for the cause.
He was ultimately diagnosed with IgA nephropathy, also known as Berger’s disease, a rare autoimmune disease that damages the kidneys.
“Your body is making a certain type of immunoglobulin, an immune cell, and that immune cell is building up in the kidney in a way that it shouldn’t,” said Dr. Nicole Saint Clair with Regence BlueShield.
According to Saint Clair, kidney disease is common, but one of the biggest challenges is that many people don’t realize they have it because symptoms can be easy to overlook.
“The symptoms initially may be subtle,” Saint Clair said. “Fatigue, changes in our urine color, new swelling that you can’t explain throughout your body. The types of symptoms I think someone should notice.”
For Chambers, those warning signs nearly went ignored.
He credits his fiancée with insisting he seek emergency care that night, a decision he believes saved his life.
“If I didn’t listen to her that night and go to the ER after six hours, I wouldn’t be here anymore,” Chambers said.
Now, Chambers is focused on recovering, working with his medical team to find the right treatment and adjusting to life after his diagnosis.
He’s also hoping that by sharing his experience, others will recognize when something doesn’t feel right and seek medical care sooner.
“If you even think something is off, try your best to be protective. Go see a doctor because you never know what it could be,” Chambers said.
Doctors encourage people to pay attention to symptoms such as unexplained fatigue, swelling, or changes in urine and to seek medical evaluation if they notice persistent or concerning changes. Early diagnosis and treatment can help slow the progression of kidney disease and improve long-term outcomes.