There are over 72,000 people waiting to receive kidney transplants. It seems almost impossible to find an equal amount of donors. Now, there is a new process in place called Paired Donation. The Paired Donation Network assists patients in finding compatible donors. A couple (donor and recipient) is paired with another couple (donor and recipient) to exchange kidneys. This process may be the answer to the shortage of Kidney donors.

Find out if you are eligible for Paired Donation

The 40th Annual ASN (American Society of Nephrology) conference will be held October 31st thru November 5th in San Francisco, California. The conference theme this year is “The Kidney and Its Diseases: Understanding Mechanisms, Discovering Treatments.” Remember to register by September 17th to meet the early registration deadline.

General Information on the ASN Conference

To help find long-term care for your loved one, the National Kidney Foundation has created a checklist to assist you. The checklist can be used as a tool for locating facilities and answering frequently asked questions. If you are struggling with what to do next, the “People Like Us: Long-term Care Residence Chronic Kidney Disease Checklist” will help guide you.

Download the NKF Long-term Care Checklist

A report in the British Journal of Cancer, suggests that alcohol consumed in standard portion sizes may reduce the risk of Kidney Cancer. During a research, it was discovered that patients who drank two glasses of red wine per week had a “40% reduction in kidney cell cancer risk. Before rushing to the store, please consult with your doctor.
Report details and case studies

To help celebrate Celiac Awareness Month, the Celiac Sprue Association is hosting a conference. The conference will be held from September 28th to the 30th in Tucson, AZ. Everyone is invited to attend this live event and enjoy a gluten-free gourmet meal.

Register by August 31st and receive a discount

Transplantation is a surgical procedure to remove organs from a healthy donor to replace the injured organs of someone else. The procedure can be very overwhelming without knowing what to expect. The Transplant Experience website was created to help bring awareness and understanding for “pre-transplant and beyond.” This website holds a source of information and also provides a welcome kit that includes an inspirational video, personal treatment journal, and a pill box to help organize your medication. This online tool has helped many journey through the Transplant Experience. Online help and support is available to all.
Join today to receive your welcome kit

It’s always important to maintain a healthy nutritious diet. However, it can be challenging to find kidney friendly meals. If you need help creating delicious and well balanced meals, order DaVita’s 20 kidney friendly recipe cards. The recipes range from breakfast meals, snacks, dinners and even desserts.
Order your FREE recipe cards

DaVita teammates are on a mission to raise money for The Kidney Trust. On September 12th through the 15th, riders will journey across the states leaving from Sheffield, AL all the way to Nashville, TN. They’ve padded their seats and put air in their tires to journey the 230 mile kidney awareness fundraising ride. Share the experience from reading blogs written by the Tour DaVita riders.

Stories and photos

The National Kidney Foundation is looking for volunteers to help with kidney screening. Doctors, nurses, and physician assistants are urged to signup. The KOKD “knock Out Kidney Disease” screening program will test participants for cholesterol, diabetes, blood pressure, anemia and kidney function.”

Check for screening dates in your area

During the month of September, the PKD (Polycystic Kidney Disease) Foundation is sponsoring walks across the country to help raise money for “PKD research and patient education.” PKD is a life-threatening genetic disease that has captured individuals and families worldwide. It’s reported to be more deadly than cystic fibrosis, muscular dystrophy, sickle cell anemia, hemophilia, Down syndrome and Huntington’s disease combined. Unfortunately, there is no treatment or cure for this disease. With your help and millions of others, this could change.

Race to the finish line