Kidney Action Week Preview: Q&A with Dr. Maria Camila Bermudez

As we gear up for the American Kidney Fund's 2023 Kidney Action Week, which will be taking place March 20-24, we are continuing to preview a few of the exciting sessions that are on the agenda Kidney Action Week, one of the most comprehensive educational programs about kidney health for the entire kidney community!

This annual, week-long event brings members of the kidney community together during Kidney Month for engaging and informative sessions to support kidney health. It is free and 100% virtual, so you can attend from anywhere you happen to be.

In all, our schedule has over 30 sessions you can attend throughout the week, including Q&As with several nephrologists (kidney doctors) on various topics, so you can have your questions answered by professionals. You can view our full agenda here.

In this blog post, we'll be previewing "Itchy skin (pruritus), Weight Gain, and Restless Leg Syndrome: Managing Common Side Effects of Dialysis," which will be held Tuesday, March 21 at 3:45 p.m. ET with speaker Maria Camila Bermudez, MD.

What is your connection to and experience with kidney disease?

I am a kidney doctor (nephrologist) since 2010. I care for patients with all kinds of kidney diseases and my main focus is helping and empowering my patients to do their best while needing dialysis therapies.

What is one thing you wish more people knew or understood about kidney disease?

I would like to reinforce that as a field we have had great advances in recent years. We now have effective tools that are changing the course of kidney disease. In many instances we can prevent it, diagnose it early and alter the course of the disease to slow its progression down. Even if a patient reaches kidney failure, advances in therapies, particularly home dialysis and kidney transplantation, are positively impacting people's life. Getting yourself educated about kidney disease and finding the right care team promptly will have great impact on your health and quality of life.

Without giving too much away, what will you discuss in your Kidney Action Week session?

I will talk about the importance of keeping a good fluid balance when you are receiving dialysis. We will discuss useful tips to make this easier on you.

Why should people attend Kidney Action Week?

The more we understand about our health, the better we will do. Kidney Action Week is the perfect educational setting to learn everything you need to know about kidney disease in a friendly environment. It is a friendly educational program geared toward patients. You will have the opportunity to learn about all aspects of kidney disease not just from health care professionals but from peers, patients who have or are experiencing kidney disease and who will be of great help to you, and/or your significant others.

And why should people attend your session, specifically?

Our session will discuss the most common symptoms while a patient is on dialysis. Patients will learn tips about how to take control of these symptoms with a focus on how to prevent them so you feel the best you can.  

Maria Camila Bermudez, MD, is a nephrologist at Geisinger Medical Center.

Kidney Action Week is supported by Presenting Sponsors Boehringer Ingelheim and Eli Lilly Co.; and Otsuka America Pharmaceutical, Inc.; and U.S. Renal Care and program sponsors Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation and Travere Therapeutics.