As the Trump Administration moves to implement its Advancing American Kidney Health initiative, it has asked for input from patient organizations like the American Kidney Fund (AKF). We submitted comments on two recent proposals from the Administration that are intended to increase the number of kidneys available for transplant. READ MORE >>

Kathy Mitchell caught her kidney disease early and has not had to start dialysis. She is currently the Director of Government Affairs for Root Insurance. READ MORE >>

Extended Medicare coverage of immunosuppressive drugs will help kidney recipients avoid situations where they struggle to pay for their needed medications and other necessities. READ MORE >>

Amy Walker is a living kidney donor to her father. She donated two years ago and says she would do it again in a heartbeat. READ MORE >>

Ken Sutha, who was honored as AKF’s 2019 Hero of Hope, was first diagnosed with kidney disease at 10 years old. He received a transplant from his father in 2006, which lasted for 10 years, and got his second transplant in July 2018. Dr. Sutha currently works as a pediatric nephrologist and an organoid researcher. READ MORE >>

Dean is a retired Branch Manager for Canon Business Solutions. Before, and since retiring in Feb 2018, he was involved with Bladder Cancer Action Network as a patient advocate receiving PCORI training and working with pharmaceutical companies providing the patients perspective as new cancer therapies are developed and readied for market. READ MORE >>

Nieltje Gedney spent 20 years avoiding dialysis, and then found herself in the ER a year ago, crashing, and placed on emergency hemo. After starting home hemo, she felt great! Nieltje is no newcomer to advocacy work, just to dialysis, and is really enjoying her role as Home Dialyzors United’s current Treasurer and past Vice President and working on the Policy and Advocacy Committee. READ MORE >>

Frances Ashe-Goins, a public health expert with years of experience working at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and also serving as a college professor, is the mother and caregiver of a daughter who is living with from kidney failure. READ MORE >>

Ellery Payton has been an Ambassador with AKF for 12 years. He is a two-time kidney transplant recipient, one in March 2003 and another in 2012. Ellery takes pride in working with AKF and is always willing and able to do what’s necessary to get the word out. READ MORE >>

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The American Kidney Fund (AKF) submitted a comment letter to the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) regarding their proposed rule on the End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) Treatment Choices Model (ETC model). READ MORE >>

Christopher Knippers has worked for over 40 years in the field of psychology (Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology) as a specialist in mood disorders, addiction, and holistic health. He has published several non-fiction books (e.g. Common Sense, Intuition, and God’s Guidance) as well as a novel (Aloha Kai: An Adventure in the Power of Aloha). READ MORE >>