Highlights from Kidney Action Week

In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, AKF transformed the flagship event in our national screening program, Kidney Action Day, into a virtual Kidney Action Week last month. Kidney Action Week was held in a dedicated Facebook group with more than 2,000 people tuning in! We were excited to interact with so many people during this virtual event. Throughout Kidney Action Week, participants contributed hundreds of posts, and more than 25,000 comments and reactions to the interactive educational information we shared.

If you were not able to attend Kidney Action Week, here are some of our favorite highlights from the event.

Read more on the Kidney Today blog >>

Did you know that over 1 in 10 Americans has diabetes, which is the leading cause of kidney disease? Over time, high blood sugar damages the blood vessels in your kidneys and the damage cannot be undone. However, both diabetes and kidney disease can be prevented!

In this webinar, Dr. Christian Mende will discuss what diabetic kidney disease is, how you can prevent it, and possible treatment options to keep your kidney disease from getting worse. Find out how well you know your kidneys.

Know Your Kidneys: How you can prevent diabetic kidney disease
Wednesday, November 4
1:00–2:00 p.m. EST

Sign up for the webinar >>

Medicare coverage for kidney transplant recipients lasts for 36 months after the date of their transplant surgery, and coverage for the immunosuppressive drugs they need to keep their bodies from rejecting their transplanted kidney are included in that 3-year timeframe. After that time, Medicare will no longer cover the individual or their needed medications if they are under the age of 65. Patients who cannot find alternative health insurance or afford to pay for their medications out-of-pocket will ultimately lose their transplanted kidney and must go back on dialysis to stay alive.

Please ask your members of Congress to cosponsor H.R.5534/S.3353, The Comprehensive Immunosuppressive Drug Coverage for Kidney Transplant Patients Act of 2019, which would ensure transplant recipients receive continued access to the immunosuppressive drugs they need to keep their transplanted kidneys.

Take action on this important issue >>

If you have kidney disease, it can lead to kidney failure. If your kidneys stop working, you’ll need dialysis or a kidney transplant to stay alive. But the good news is, there are actions and medicines you can take to keep your kidneys healthy, and treatments that can help control your blood pressure and diabetes.

Learn ways you can prevent kidney disease or keep kidney damage from getting worse >>

Amelia Rowniewski was just 7 years old in 2012 when she won AKF’s Calendar Kids Art Contest and was honored at our annual gala, The Hope Affair. Now a high school student, Amelia’s kidney disease journey has come full circle: This year she became an AKF Ambassador to advocate for others with kidney disease and introduced the 2021 Calendar Kids Art Contest winner, Khloe Sudol, at The Hope Affair.

Read Amelia’s story on the Kidney Today blog >>

Recipe contributed by FamilyCook Productions

Here is a perfect example of an ‘instant’ scratch cooked meal. This recipe is so easy and satisfying, it will become a ‘go to’ meal when you are very hungry but short on time.

To fully enjoy the health benefits of miso, whisk it in after the broth has cooled off a bit from its boiling temperature. This prevents the high temperature from killing the probiotics.

Get the recipe on Kidney Kitchen™ >>

Although The Hope Affair looked different this year, we are grateful for our attendees and our sponsors who allowed us to still come together as a community to shine a spotlight on kidney disease. We invite you to meet our honorees, recognize our sponsors and learn more about the American Kidney Fund by viewing the event and reading through the electronic program book.

We hope to see you in person next year at The Hope Affair 2021—until then, stay safe and stay healthy!

View the event and program book >>