American Kidney Fund Launches Educational Awareness Campaigns for Two Rare Kidney Diseases

ROCKVILLE, Md. (Sept. 26, 2023) – Today, the American Kidney Fund (AKF) launched educational awareness campaigns for two rare kidney diseases: complement 3 glomerulopathy (C3G) and IgA nephropathy (IgAN). The campaigns, sponsored by Novartis, provide patients with information about the diseases and connect them with resources to help them better understand and manage these conditions.

C3G and IgAN are two types of kidney diseases that are related to improper function of the immune system, which is your body's cells and tissues that fight infection. With C3G, a part of the immune system called the complement system becomes overactive and doesn't work properly, leading to damage and inflammation in the kidneys. This damage prevents the kidneys from filtering toxins out of the blood and can cause kidney failure in about half of adults who are diagnosed with the disease. IgAN causes kidney damage when a person's immune system produces abnormal antibodies in the kidneys that trigger inflammation and reduce the kidneys' ability to filter waste and fluid from the bloodstream, which can eventually lead to kidney failure.

"Knowledge is power when it comes to managing kidney disease and staying as healthy as possible," said LaVarne A. Burton, AKF President and CEO. "We are grateful to Novartis for their support as we launch these educational campaigns and are pleased to share information and resources that will help people with C3G or IgAN and their families advocate for themselves."  

AKF has created dedicated webpages for the C3G and IgAN campaigns that are accessible from AKF's main website, KidneyFund.org. They provide information about C3G and IgAN diagnosis, symptoms and management, as well as resources for building and managing relationships with a medical team, nutrition considerations, coping with the mental health impacts these diseases can have on patients and their families and more. AKF is also developing patient-facing educational videos and a downloadable guide that people can take with them to their doctors' appointments. In addition, the C3G campaign page will soon feature a video series highlighting patient experiences with C3G to build a sense of community and support for people diagnosed with this disease.

The C3G and IgAN campaigns are part of AKF's ongoing work to increase awareness and understanding of rare kidney diseases and ensure people with these conditions have access to critical resources. Another example of this overall effort by AKF is the Unknown Causes of Kidney Disease Project, which examines how undiagnosed or misdiagnosed causes of kidney disease impact patient care and outcomes.