Anthony Culotta
Age 64 • Metairie, La. • Featured on March 31, 2010
A Little Laughter Goes a Long Way
Making people happy is Anthony Culotta’s life mission. When the 64-year-old dialysis patient learned he needed to start dialysis treatment in January 2009, due to diabetes that led to kidney failure, he brought that sense of duty with him. Today, Anthony receives in-center nighttime dialysis treatment at Fresenius Medical Care Metairie.
Anthony works as a freelance float builder and parade planner, so lifting people’s spirits comes naturally to him. His work can be seen all over the state of Louisiana and ranges in size, color and themes. He brings his parade flair into his dialysis facility by wearing costumes, and donning dinosaur and even gorilla masks. Once he even brought a tiara for a fellow patient that needed a morale boost.
Anthony is diligent with his dialysis treatment schedule and inspires his fellow patients to work hard to stay on track. He recommends things to other patients that can help improve their health, such as running their full dialysis time and working closely with their dialysis nursing team.
Anthony, who has been married for 36 years, believes that laughter is the best medicine, and that dialysis gives people with kidney disease the opportunity to continue living rewarding lives.
