Each year in March we commemorate National Kidney Month with a wide range of activities designed to raise awareness of kidney disease and how to prevent it. Our efforts are directed not just at the general public and people at risk for kidney disease, but also at the legislators whose policy decisions have so much impact on the lives of people living with kidney failure.
Ten of our patient-advocates joined us in Washington, D.C. last week for our 4th annual Kidney Action Day on the Hill. They visited their elected representatives to help them gain greater understanding of the particular challenges facing kidney patients and enlist their support in helping assure ongoing quality of care for all who suffer from kidney failure. If you care about the issues facing kidney patients, please consider joining our Advocacy Network today if you haven’t already.
We’re celebrating Kidney Month in other ways, as well. AKF is holding free screenings and kidney health education sessions in Atlanta, Charleston, Chicago and Washington, D.C.; and we’ll hold our online contest to vote for the cover art for our 2014 Calendar Kids Program calendar, beginning March 15.
National Kidney Month may last only 31 days, but our important work continues throughout the year. Thanks to the support of friends like you, AKF will continue to be the nation’s leading provider of charitable assistance to dialysis patients who need help with insurance premiums and other treatment-related expenses. We will work tirelessly to get out the message that kidney disease is preventable and that early detection is critical. Won’t you join us in the fight?
Our kidneys do so much more than filter wastes and extra fluid from our blood. During Kidney Month, learn more about the vital role our kidneys play in regulating blood pressure, keeping our bones strong, helping our bodies make red blood cells and more.
Our free Learn It! Check It! Live It! toolkit can help you learn what may be putting you at risk for kidney disease, important screening tests, and ways to live a healthy lifestyle to help prevent kidney disease. If you’re a member of a social or community organization, or a place of worship, the toolkit is a perfect way to present kidney health information to a small group.
Whose artwork will appear on the cover of AKF’s 2014 calendar? Beginning March 15, you can vote for your favorite entry from among the 13 winners in our 18th annual Calendar Kids Art Contest, supported by an educational grant provided by Amgen. Each colorful, creative entry was created by a pediatric kidney patient.
Thanks to the generosity of many Americans who care about their friends and neighbors with kidney disease, last year, nearly 84,000 people—1 out of every 5 U.S. dialysis patients—received assistance from the American Kidney Fund for health insurance premiums and other treatment-related expenses. Won’t you consider making a gift to help us continue this critical work?
Connect with AKF Through Social Media
If you use Facebook or Twitter, connect with AKF today! Join the conversation as part of our network of more than 50,000 patients, caregivers and friends. AKF’s social media pages are an opportunity to share your story, connect with others, get information about kidney disease and learn about the latest AKF news and events.