AstraZeneca Joins American Kidney Fund Corporate Membership Program at 'Champion' Level

ROCKVILLE, Md. (June 25, 2020) — The American Kidney Fund (AKF) today announced that AstraZeneca has joined its new corporate membership program as a Champion-level member.

AstraZeneca recently provided a generous gift of $1.1 million to AKF's Coronavirus Emergency Fund to help low-income dialysis and recent transplant patients struggling to pay for renal-friendly foods, transportation and other essentials during the COVID-19 crisis. AstraZeneca's gift enabled AKF to provide grants to every person who was on the waiting list at the time, offering them a lifeline during a most challenging period.

AKF and AstraZeneca have also partnered on a major, award-winning educational campaign, Beyond Bananas™, to increase kidney patients' understanding of high potassium, known as hyperkalemia, and empower them to control their potassium through diet and appropriate treatment. Potassium is a mineral essential to the proper function of muscles and nerves, but it poses special risks to people living with kidney disease.

By becoming a corporate member of AKF, AstraZeneca is helping to support AKF's broad range of programs and services that reach and help people wherever they are in their journey with kidney disease, from prevention through post-transplant living. AKF directly touches the lives of more kidney patients than any other kidney nonprofit, working to advance kidney disease awareness, prevention, early detection, treatment and research. A top-rated charity, AKF spends 97 cents of each donated dollar on patients and programs, not overhead.

"Our corporate membership program allows us to deepen our partnerships with organizations that share our commitment to changing the trajectory of kidney disease in the country, and we welcome AstraZeneca as a Champion-level member," said LaVarne A. Burton, AKF president and CEO. "We are grateful for AstraZeneca's generous support of our programs and look forward to working together to improve the lives of those with, and at risk for, kidney disease."

"As a science-led, patient-driven company, we could not be more proud to join AKF as a corporate member.  We remain humbled by AKF's relentless efforts to change the paradigm for those impacted by kidney disease and look forward to continuing our collaborations," said Martha Orzechowski, AstraZeneca US Head of Advocacy and Alliance.

AKF's new corporate membership program is open to institutional partners that support AKF's core mission of fighting kidney disease and helping people live healthier lives. It provides essential direct support that helps fund AKF's work fighting kidney disease on all fronts — from prevention through post-transplant living.

To learn more about AKF's corporate membership program, please contact Fiona Lawless, senior director of corporate engagement, at flawless@kidneyfund.org or 301.984.6635.