American Kidney Fund Hosts Healthcare Professionals, Patients and Partners for Symposium on Kidney Health Equity

ROCKVILLE, Md. (May 14, 2026) – Today, the American Kidney Fund (AKF) is convening healthcare professionals, patient advocates and partner organizations in Washington, D.C. for its inaugural Kidney Health for All® Symposium, an event that focuses on advancing kidney health equity through collaborative action. 

While people of all races and backgrounds can develop kidney disease, Black and Hispanic/Latino Americans are more likely to have kidney failure. Compared to white Americans, Black Americans are four times as likely to develop kidney failure and Hispanic people are twice as likely. AKF established the Kidney Health for All initiative in 2021 to better understand these disparities and to provide education and resources to help close the gaps in kidney health across populations. To advance these efforts, AKF assembled the Health Equity Coalition. This coalition is comprised of organizations/industry, healthcare professionals, patients and caregivers and helps guide the development of evidence-based programs and resources for AKF's patient and professional audiences.

"All Americans, regardless of race, ethnicity or background, should be able to access the tools and information they need to help prevent and effectively manage kidney disease," said LaVarne A. Burton, AKF President and CEO. "The Kidney Health for All initiative is our pledge to tear down obstacles in kidney care for underserved communities through education, advocacy, prevention programs and community collaboration — which would not be possible without the efforts of our partners and the Health Equity Coalition. We are proud to share the progress we have made at the symposium today." 

Kidney Health for All addresses four areas of kidney health: prevention and awareness, increasing use of home dialysis, diversifying participation in clinical trials and increasing access to transplant. Since the launch of the program, AKF has developed award-winning resources, including Your Guide to Kidney Transplant and the Home Dialysis Decision Aid; established the Kidney Health Coach (KHC) Health Equity Grant program (now in its fourth year), which helps expand the reach and impact of KHC by empowering organizations and coaches across the country to reach at-risk communities; hosted kidney health equity-focused advocacy trainings and connected millions of people with resources to help prevent kidney disease in high-risk populations through a national media campaign that employed TV, streaming and radio PSAs, digital advertising, videos in primary care offices nationwide and billboard and public transportation ads.

The symposium schedule includes: 

• A keynote address on the state of health equity in kidney disease from Amaka Eneanya, a nephrologist, former chief transformation officer for Emory Healthcare and a member of the AKF Board of Trustees
• A patient panel with Christopher Bryant (AKF Ambassador), Patrick Gee (AKF Board of Trustees), Nichole Jefferson (AKF Ambassador) and Sharron Rouse (founder of Kindness for Kidneys and an AKF Ambassador)
• A partner panel of representatives from organizations that are working with AKF (including Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc., American Heart Association, American Nephrology Nurses Association and Northern Virginia Baptist Association) to educate and spread awareness of health equity issues within their communities. 

AKF staff will also provide a progress report on AKF's advocacy and education efforts related to health equity. 

AKF is grateful to the following corporate sponsors who make Kidney Health for All possible: Leadership Sponsor Vertex Pharmaceuticals; and Equity Sponsors Otsuka America Pharmaceutical, Inc., Sanofi, and Travere Therapeutics.