20 Under 40: Tiffany Strohmeyer

Photo by Nathan Ham

Education: Chemistry Degree, Saint Mary’s College of Notre Dame, South Bend, IN Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, Washburn University Doctorate of Pharmacy, University of Kansas

Hometown: Manhattan, KS

Age: 39

3 Words: Tenacious Intelligent Courageous

Role Model: The mother of the donor of my second kidney transplant. Not only did she lose a daughter in a horrible cycling accident, she was left paralyzed. While most would have given up, she has found the strength and courage to live a life filled with hope, love and selflessness.

Best Advice Received: “Be the change you wish to see in the world.” - Mahatma Ghandi

Not given to me directly by Gandhi, but a quote that many influential people in my life have shared with me throughout the years.

Superpower: Turning lemons into lemonade. I’ve had many lemons thrown my way, including living with end stage kidney disease for the majority of my life. I made a choice to not let the bad things define me. Instead, I’ve used them as motivation to expand my life, and improve the lives of others. Living with a chronic, life threatening illness has made me a better pharmacist, a more compassionate volunteer, and a stronger advocate for those dealing with their own pile of lemons. There is not half full glass in my life because I have filled it to the top with lemonade life has helped me make.

Accomplishments Most Proud Of:

Personal: My recognition for 20 years of service to Camp Chimer, a summer camp for kids on dialysis or who have had kidney transplants. I was a camper at Camp Chimer; and volunteering gives me a chance to give back to those who gave me so much. Even more importantly, I’m helping other kids living with kidney disease learn independence, gain self-confidence, and boost their self-esteem.

Career: Meeting and hugging President Barack Obama. As a pharmacist, I believe healthcare should be a right for everyone. The Affordable Care Act isn’t perfect, but to someone like me, who has a pre-existing condition longer than a driver’s license, it represents a good start at making healthcare accessible for everyone. It was a huge honor, and a very emotional experience, to thank our President for fighting so hard over an issue of life and death importance.

At this point in your life, what do you know for sure? In order to be truly genius, you have to be a little bit crazy. It takes both to change the world.

“For the past 24 years, Tiffany has lived with kidney disease. As a teenager, she spent 10 hours every night hooked up to a dialysis machine to stay alive. Tiffany was the first patient in the nation to have a portable dialysis machine so that she could attend college 700 miles from her home. And, she maintained a 4.0 grade point average at Saint Mary’s College of Notre Dame while she did it.” - Helen Crow, Kirk & Cobb Inc.

“Today, Tiffany’s pharmacy practice is more than half about caring for the poorest of the poor. She trains pharmacist and technicians, consults on medication reviews, and staffs a compounding pharmacy alone on shifts around the clock. She developed a drug database for a research company. All of this, in addition to public speaking nationally.” - Helen Crow, Kirk & Cobb Inc.

“Tiffany believes she has been given a second and now a third chance at life, and this has made her determined in her dedication to serving others and representing those with chronic illnesses. Tiffany’s strength, determination, and gratefulness for life are awe-inspiring.” - Carli Christain