April, 2009

Message from the President and CEO

Dear Friend

I recently read a letter from Amanda Neilan, a friend of the American Kidney Fund. Amanda is a 23-year-old kindergarten teacher whose life has been affected by chronic kidney disease: her husband, Kevin, is 27 and has kidney failure. Kevin has been on the kidney transplant waiting list for about four years. He goes to the dialysis center three times a week for treatments that last nearly four hours each.

“Being a newlywed and living in New Jersey, it is hard to live off of only one source of income, so Kevin continues to work a full-time job. He does it very well; however, it truly drains his energy,” says Amanda.

The reality for the Neilans as well as for the thousands of kidney patients the American Kidney Fund serves each year is that chronic kidney disease presents not only a serious health challenge, but challenges in many other areas of life, as well, including career and finances.

April is Donate Life Month, and the Neilans’ experience is a reminder of the urgent need to increase the number of Americans who are registered as organ donors. Kevin is one of nearly 80,000 people in the United States who are waiting for a kidney.

If your life has been directly affected by chronic kidney disease, I would like to invite you to join the growing number of people who have shared their stories with us.

 
With best wishes for your continued good health,

LaVarne A. Burton
President and CEO

Join the Fight! Get Tested or Take a Loved One Today!

Have you and your loved ones had a kidney screening or talked to your doctor about your kidney health? Diabetes and high blood pressure are two of the risk factors for kidney disease. 

Last year, we provided more than 6,400 free kidney screenings. So far this year, we’ve screened more than 500 people in D.C., Atlanta and Chicago. These screenings occurred through the American Kidney Fund’s MIKE® Program. The mission of this program is to reduce the high rate of kidney failure in minority communities. A full screening from the American Kidney Fund checks not only kidney function, but also cholesterol levels, blood pressure, blood sugar, and other important health measures. Kidney health screenings from the American Kidney Fund are free of charge and open to anyone 18 and older. If you live in or around Atlanta, Chicago, or Washington, D.C., check out our list of upcoming screenings.

Calendar Kids Art Contest Deadline is Approaching!

The American Kidney Fund’s 2010 Calendar Kids Art Contest deadline is quickly approaching. Now in its 14th year, Calendar Kids is a nationwide art contest for children who are living with kidney disease. The Calendar Kids Program is sponsored by Amgen. AKF chooses 13 winners whose drawings will illustrate the American Kidney Fund calendar, which is distributed nationwide. Winners also receive a trip to Washington, DC where they participate in a fun-filled weekend, tour the nation’s capital, and are honored during an awards dinner.

To be eligible for entry, artists must be 18 years old or younger, have kidney disease, and live in the United States. The deadline to submit artwork has been extended to May 4, 2009. Learn more! 

Check out AKF’s New Kidney Health Podcast Series!

Last month, the American Kidney Fund launched a kidney health podcast series and unveiled a dynamic new podcast webpage. The series will cover a variety of topics including kidney disease, associated risk factors, kidney health and diet information and the financial impact of kidney disease. The dedicated podcast webpage offers listeners an opportunity to enjoy the podcasts online and download them to an MP3 player or personal computer.

The podcast series is also available on iTunes. Listen to the premiere podcast, An Overview of Chronic Kidney Disease, an interview with LaVarne A. Burton, President and CEO of the American Kidney Fund.

Are You a Fan Yet?

The American Kidney Fund invites you to discover our page on Facebook. Stay up to date on everything that’s happening at AKF, find out about special events and health screenings, post your comments and more!

If you already have a Facebook account, you can quickly become a fan!