When the DaVita care team in Vineland, NJ, began treating Wayne Scott for kidney disease, it didn’t take them long to uncover his love for racing.

Cars and racing have been a central part of Wayne’s life for as long as he can remember. He started micro sprint racing in his early years, and in 1978, he opened up his own automotive repair and maintenance business in Carneys Point, NJ.

Wayne has always enjoyed sharing his love of racing with loved ones, including his grandsons, who inherited the same passion. Both grandsons, Wayne and Lavar Scott continue to share that passion with their grandfather, pursuing racing into adulthood. Grandson Wayne, a 600cc microsprint racer, says his grandfather has been an important part of his journey and has helped him win several championship titles. For Lavar, the family tradition of racing even turned into a career.

“My grandpa was the one who got me involved in racing,” Lavar says, now in his third year racing for NASCAR. “He taught me how to approach different situations on and off the track.”

As Lavar and grandson Wayne continued racing and pursuing their goals, Wayne was committed to being at all of his grandsons' races. When Wayne was diagnosed with chronic kidney disease (CKD), he feared that kidney failure would prevent him from traveling to watch his grandsons race. If his kidney function continued to decline, he would need dialysis treatments. Wayne thought this meant a rigorous treatment schedule where he would have to go in-person to a center several times each week.

Fortunately, there was another option that better fit his lifestyle. Even before Wayne needed dialysis, his nephrologist recommended he explore peritoneal dialysis (PD), which would allow him to get the treatments he needed from home — or even on the road. Wayne researched what it would entail and learned all he could to prepare for a life on dialysis. Feeling prepared and being able to work with his doctor to choose a home dialysis option helped Wayne feel encouraged that he could manage treatments.ⁱ

When the time came for Wayne to start treatments, his care team at DaVita helped make sure that Wayne and his family had all of the resources and education he needed to dialyze on the go. However, Wayne still makes it a priority to attend his monthly clinic and lab day with his PD care team and to see his nephrologist. 

“Wayne and his family were prepared for dialysis and knew their options,” said Megan McCauley, Wayne’s DaVita nurse. “Wayne chose PD because it provided him with convenience, both day-to-day and, in particular, when traveling.”

Now, Wayne chooses to receive treatment while he sleeps, which he says helps him feel much more energized throughout the day.

“PD has allowed me to continue doing what I love,” Wayne says.

Today, Wayne continues to run his automotive repair business in New Jersey, and he shows up to almost all of his grandsons' races.

“Growing up, I always wanted to make it to the big leagues, and he played a huge role in helping me achieve my goals. It’s huge to have him at my races,” Lavar said.

Although Wayne’s care team isn’t traveling alongside him, they are there for him every step of the way through travel checklists, follow-ups, managing his diet and monitoring his care while he is on the road.

McCauley said that while Wayne was packing for one of his trips, he left his PD machine in the parking lot and traveled out of the state without it. Knowing he would need to continue treatments to maintain his health, he called his DaVita care team. Once alerted, they worked with Wayne to order a new machine that was shipped to him overnight. Now, he routinely connects with his team to ensure he has everything he needs before traveling.

Wayne, who is currently on the national kidney transplant waiting list, has found that choosing home dialysis meant not having to give up the things he loves: ⁱⁱ

“I thought my life was over, but it hasn’t changed much at all,” Wayne says.