eNews May 2011 - American Kidney Fund

May 2011

Message from the President and CEO

Dear Friend,

Last year, the American Kidney Fund provided financial assistance to 101,000 people—one out of every four dialysis patients in the United States—to help pay insurance premiums and other treatment-related expenses. But that’s just part of our mission. We also work tirelessly to educate people about kidney disease and to empower them to take control of their health, since most cases of kidney disease are preventable.

Our free kidney health screenings reach thousands of people each year, helping them find out if they’re at risk for kidney disease. Check our website to see if there is a screening near you, and encourage people you know to have a kidney health screening—especially if they have diabetes or high blood pressure.

Last month in Augusta, Ga., we held our first Kidney Action Day of 2011, a community event featuring kidney health screenings, fitness demonstrations, healthy cooking samples, kids’ activities, and more. We will have similar events at the finish line of our Steps that Count walks in Washington, D.C., San Antonio, Houston and Atlanta. Find more information about Steps that Count and register for the walk at the Steps that Count website.

We hope you will join us in 2011 for events near you, and we encourage you to spread the word to others. Together, we can make a difference!

To your health,

LaVarne A. Burton
President and CEO

Spotlight on Health: Heart Disease Can Cause Kidney Damage

Studies show that heart disease, also known as cardiovascular disease, can damage your kidneys. If you already have chronic kidney disease, heart disease can make it worse: it is the leading cause of death among dialysis patients. Talk to your physician. Subscribe to a low-fat, low-cholesterol, high-fiber diet. Help keep yourself healthy by maintaining a healthy weight and refraining from alcohol and tobacco use.

Steps that Count/Kidney Action Day Heads to 4 Cities in 2011:
D.C. Event June 11

Our Steps that Count/Kidney Action Day events combine a fundraising walk with kidney health screenings and education, cooking and fitness demos, food samplings, and fun activities for the whole family. This year AKF will hold Steps that Count/Kidney Action Day events in four cities nationwide, leading off with Washington, D.C. on Saturday, June 11 at Nationals Park. Other events will take place in San Antonio (Saturday, October 1); Houston (Sunday, October 16); and Atlanta (Saturday, November 12). If you can’t make it to these events or don’t live nearby, you can still join the fight against kidney disease by participating in our Steps that Count Virtual Walk.

AKF Names Two Clinical Scientist in Nephrology Fellows

Dr. Graham Abra, a nephrology fellow at the Stanford University Medical Center, and Dr. Ernest Mandel, a research fellow at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, are this year’s AKF Clinical Scientist in Nephrology (CSN) fellows effective July 1, 2011. The CSN program strives to improve the quality of care provided to kidney patients and promotes clinical research in nephrology.

Calendar Kids: Online Voting Begins June 1!

Now celebrating its 16^th year of creativity, the AKF Calendar Kids art contest needs your vote to select the artwork that will appear on the cover. Visit our website between June 1 and June 15 to see all the winning entries from our creative pediatric kidney patients, and vote for the one you’d like to see on the cover.

April 30 was Kidney Action Day in Augusta, Ga.

The mayor of Augusta, Ga., proclaimed April 30 to be Augusta Kidney Action Day. Together with Mt. Calvary Baptist Church, AKF welcomed hundreds for a day of free health screenings and fun healthy lifestyle activities for the whole family. The event was supported by a broad coalition of community organizations including American Renal Associates, Nephrology Associates PC, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., Lucy C. Laney High School Super Reunion, University Hospital, and the Richmond County Health Department.

Health Screenings Coming Up Soon

In addition to our upcoming Steps that Count/Kidney Action Day event in Washington, D.C. on June 11, we have screenings coming up this spring in Arkansas, the District of Columbia, Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts and Texas. See the list below, and visit our website for further details on locations, tests available, and contact information.

Fri., June 3, 9am–1pm; Universal Family Connections; 1350 W. 103rd St.; Chicago

Fri., June 10, 2:30–6:30pm; Clinica del Pueblo Health Fair; Powell Elementary School; Upshur St. NW; Washington, D.C.

Sat., June 11, 8am–2pm: Steps that Count at Nationals Park; Washington, D.C.

Sat., June 11, 10am–2pm: Men’s Health Fair; Bessemer Park; 8930 S. Muskegon; Chicago

Sat., June 11, 9am–2pm: Men’s Health Fair at St. Ailbe Catholic Church; 9015 S. Harper; Chicago

Sat., June 18, 9am–1pm: Diabetes Expo – Arkansas at Northwest Arkansas Convention Center; Springdale, Ark.

Sat., June 18, 9am–2pm: Men’s Health Tune Up at Shiloh Baptist Church; Washington, D.C.

Sat., June 18, 10am–3pm; McKinley Park Field House; ¡Vive Tu Vida! Get Up! Get Moving!; 2210 W. Parking Rd.; Chicago

Fri., June 24, 10am–3pm: DC Office on Aging Health Fair at Kennedy Senior Wellness Center; Washington, D.C.

Sat.–Sun., June 25–26, 10am–5pm: NBC 7 Health & Fitness Expo Boston at Hynes Convention Center; Boston