Olympic gold medalist Missy Franklin discusses raising awareness for kidney health after father's transplant

Five-time gold medalist Missy Franklin spoke with Fox News Digital about her expectations for Katie Ledecky ahead of the 2024 Summer Games next month in Paris.

As a two-time Olympian and six-time medalist, American swimmer Missy Franklin has built a large community over the years. That community has stood faithfully by her side throughout her storied career. 

Perhaps it's even more meaningful that the same community that cheered her on along the path to victory also played a crucial role in helping Franklin during a time of crisis. 

"My dad [Dick Franklin] was diagnosed with ADPKD (autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease). It runs on my father's side of the family. It is a hereditary disease, meaning it is passed down," Franklin told Fox News Digital in a recent interview. 

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Laureus World Sportswoman of the Year nominee and swimmer Missy Franklin and parents Dick Franklin and D.A Frankiln attend the 2014 Laureus World Sports Awards at the Istana Budaya Theatre March 26, 2014, in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.   (Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images for Laureus)

"Out of the four siblings that my dad is a part of, three of them have ADPKD. And his father had it as well. It is the most common form of PKD, which is a genetic condition that causes cysts to form on the kidneys, and it leads to a decline in kidney function, which will eventually require the need for dialysis or a transplant." 

Franklin, who retired from swimming in 2018, explained that her father’s condition was known for some time, but in 2022, the family learned the difficult news that the disease was "rapidly progressing." 

"To realize that it was progressing to the point where it was severely impacting his