The National Kidney Foundation of Illinois (NKFI), a major voluntary health organization, seeks to prevent kidney and urinary tract diseases, improve the health and well-being of individuals and families affected by these diseases, and increase the availability of all organs for transplantation. The red "thread of life" element woven throughout this website visually depicts the connections that the NKFI continues to provide for patients, families, transplant recipients, healthcare professionals, Illinois communities and organizations.

Learn more about the National Kidney Foundation of Illinois

For more information: kidney@nkfi.org

215 West Illinois, Suite 1C
Chicago, IL 60654
PHONE:(312) 321-1500
FAX:(312) 321-1505

Healthcare Professionals Patients & Families Giving to NKFI

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Gift of Life Gala Online Auction - NOW OPEN!

Not attending this year's Gift of Life Gala? You can still bid on fabulous silent auction items online - just click here. Online bidding will end at 5pm on November 13. Bidding will reopen for attendees of the Gift of Life Gala on Saturday, November 14 at Navy Pier. If you would like information on attending the gala, please contact Kinzie Ecker at 312.321.1500 x238 or via email to kecker@nkfi.org.

Ensure your chance of being the winning bidder by choosing the BUY NOW option! Items include:

• one week stay at a Vail, Colorado condo
• one week stay at a villa in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico
• 5 day/4 night escape to Cancun, Mexico

Don't wait - start your bidding today!

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FREE KIDNEY DISEASE, HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE AND DIABETES SCREENINGS!

The National Kidney Foundation of Illinois offers FREE comprehensive screenings for kidney disease, high blood pressure, and diabetes through the KidneyMobile throughout the year! For a complete list of screening locations and dates, please visit www.kidneymobile.org.

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Need a list of dialysis units in Illinois? Please click here.

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Make your holiday greetings even more meaningful by purchasing your cards through the National Kidney Foundation of Illinois!

This holiday season, let your loved ones, friends and business associates know that you not only care about them, but about the National Kidney Foundation of Illinois (NKFI) as well. 50% of each purchase directly benefits the critical programs and initiatives of the NKFI, like free early detection screenings, chronic kidney disease (CKD) prevention education, organ donor awareness and camp for children with CKD or a kidney transplant. Each card indicates that its purchase supports the NKFI.

Please click here for a complete list of the 2009 Holiday Card selection and order form. For more information, please contact Valyncia Jones at the NKFI at 312.321.1500 x221 or via email to vjones@nkfi.org.

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prevent. educate. empower.
It's Never Too Late To Make A Difference.

It's never too late to make a difference in the lives of many with a gift to the National Kidney Foundation of Illinois.

With the growing incidence of obesity, especially in children, the prevalence of diabetes and high blood pressure, and the increasing wait for a kidney transplant, the National Kidney Foundation of Illinois desperately counts on your generosity to keep our unique and critical programs free and accessible to the public, especially those who are in need of these services the most. Please consider making a gift to the NKFI. You may donate online through the National Kidney Foundation by clicking here or download a donation form here and fax or mail it back directly to the National Kidney Foundation of Illinois. Preventing disease in the first place is the best strategy for our struggling healthcare system today. If we can prevent chronic kidney disease, diabetes and high blood pressure, we will also help save lives and keep families together when people need that support the most.
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YOUR OLD CELL PHONE COULD DO A WORLD OF GOOD FOR THE NKFI!

Did you know that cell phones contain toxic materials and are harmful to the environment if they're not discarded properly? Cell phones donated to the NKFI are given new life and provided to those in need or discarded in an environmentally friendly way.

Please send any cell phone you no longer use to the National Kidney Foundation of Illinois. If your place of business would be willing to put out a cell phone collection box, please contact Anne Black at 312.321.1500 x224 or via email to ablack@nkfi.org for more information.

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Help Include Immunosuppressive Drug Extension in the Senate Health Care Bill
Currently, Medicare pays for most kidney transplants but covers prescription medication to maintain the transplant for only 36 months in the Medicare ESRD benefit. After that, kidney recipients must pay for immunosuppressive drugs through private insurance, public or pharmaceutical programs or pay out of pocket. (Medicare covers drugs without a time limit if the patient qualifies becaues of age or disability status.) If this provision passed, Medicare ESRD patients could continue to receive these drugs under Medicare Part B. This is a big step forward to preserve the life of kidney transplants and, we believe, enable more people to consider getting kidney transplant.

Let's call upon Congress and ask them to support the bill to extend immunosuppressive drugs for the life of the kidney transplant through Medicare, not just for 36 months post-transplant. This provision is on the House health care reform bill, but we need your help today to get the Senate to act.

Please take a moment today to contact your local congressman/woman. It is just a click away! Follow this link: http://capwiz.com/kidney/issues/alert/?alertid=14028196 to send a letter to your local Senator/Representative to call upon them for their support of the inclusion of the Immunosuppressive bill.

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Upcoming Events & Programs

Gift of Life Gala
Saturday, November 14, 2009
Navy Pier Grand Ballroom | Chicago, Illinois

The National Kidney Foundation of Illinois is proud to present the 24th Annual Gift of Life Gala on Saturday, November 14 "under the big top" of the incomparable Navy Pier Grand Ballroom in Chicago.  The Gift of Life Gala is the NKFI’s signature event and is attended by more than 400 guests including corporate leaders, philanthropists and members of the renal and transplant communities.  This year, the NKFI looks forward to honoring Martin F. Mozes, MD, Medical Director of Gift of Hope Organ & Tissue Donor Network, for his service to the transplant community by providing consistent, even-handed facilitation amongst our transplant centers during the procurement and transplant process. Senator Richard J. Durbin serves as this year's Honorary Chair and we thank him for his continued commitment to improving our healthcare system and for sponsoring Senate Bill 565, which would extend Medicare coverage of immunosuppressant medication for the life of a kidney transplant.

Past Gift of Life Award recipients include television personality Bill Kurtis, Secretary of State Jesse White, the Illinois Hospital Association and most recently Damon Arnold, MD, Director of the Illinois Department of Public Health and Connie Payton-Strotter, organ donation advocate. For more information, please contact Kinzie Ecker at 312.321.1500 x238 or via email to kecker@nkfi.org. Or click here for the gala invitation and reply form. Tickets for the gala start at $400. ($200 for those 40 and younger or nurses, technicians, dietitians and social workers within the renal community.)

Lifetime of Service Award - Fredric L. Coe, MD, FACP, FASN
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
The Standard Club
320 South Plymouth Court | Chicago, Illinois
6pm Reception, 7pm Dinner & Program

Please join the Scientific Advisory Board of the National Kidney Foundation of Illinois in honoring Fredric L. Coe, MD, FACP, FASN with the Lifetime Achievment Award. Please click here to download the registration form. For more information, please contact Diane Hollingsworth at 312.321.1500 x226 or via email to dhollingsworth@nkfi.org.

For more information on NKFI events or programs, please call 312.321.1500.

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Recently Completed Programs and Events

Multi-Disciplinary Clinical Conference
Held Thursday, September 24, 2009
Chicago Marriott O'Hare | Chicago, Illinois

The 10th Annual Multi-Disciplinary Clinical Conference was a great success! Nearly 200 renal professionals attended and had the opportunity to network with their peers, attend a variety of comprehensive workshops and visit with pharmaceutical company exhibitors. Presentations included:

Hemodynamics of the Dialysis Patient
National Healthcare Policy and Its Effect on Renal Care
Depression and Anxiety with Chronic Illness

For more information on this event, please contact Diane Hollingsworth at 312.321.1500 x226 or via email to dhollingsworth@nkfi.org.

Gift of Life Walk & Family Health Fair - Chicago
Soldier Field Great Lawn, Chicago
Held Sunday, June 28, 2009

The 10th Annual Gift of Life Walk & Family Health Fair raised more than $92,000 after expenses to support the prevention programs and organ donor awareness initiatives of the National Kidney Foundation of Illinois. More than 1,000 people gathered at the Soldier Field Great Lawn in Chicago for a morning of exercise, comraderie and education. Many thanks to Baxter, Presenting Sponsor; Trader Joe's, Refreshment Sponsor; and our Check Point and Health Fair Sponsors Abbott, Fresenius Medical Care, Gift of Hope Organ & Tissue Donor Network, Lifeline Vascular Access, AMAG, Astellas Pharma, Genentech, PhRMA, Roche, University of Illinois Transplant, Wellbound, and Wyeth Pharmaceuticals. Thank you also to our honorary chair Steve Baskerville from CBS2 Chicago and Famos from Bizar Entertainment for getting the group enthused, warmed up and on their way!

Gift of Life Walk & Family Health Fair - Champaign
U of I Arboretum, Champaign
Held Saturday, July 18, 2009

The Champaign Chapter of the National Kidney Foundation of Illinois hosted the area's first Gift of Life Walk & Health Fair in July. The 5K walk was held at the U of I Arboretum, where the route took Walkers through the beautiful grounds and back to the Health Fair, near the entrance of the Noel Welcome Garden. The health fair following the Walk featured dialysis center and hospital representatives from Avantus Renal Care – Champaign Urbana Dialysis Center and Christie Clinic, who distributed information and healthcare materials on healthcare options and lifestyle choices. Guests were entertained throughout the morning with live music from local band 2 Bad Actors, music from Lite Rock 97.5 FM and our MC Diane Ducey, massages and delicious refreshments from Michael’s Catering, County Market and Texas Roadhouse.

5th Annual Middle Market Open Golf Tournament
Olympia Fields Country Club, Olympia Fields
Held Monday, July 27, 2009

This year's Middle Market Open Golf Tournament was a record-setter! Once again, both the North and South Courses of Olympia Fields were filled by foursomes from Chicago's top commercial banks, law firms, private equity groups, mergers and aquisition companies, and accounting firms. Many thanks to MMO Platinum Sponsors Harris Bank and Katten Muchin Rosenman for their generous continued support of the tournament. The MMO raised more than $223,000 after expenses to support the life saving programs of the National Kidney Foundation of Illinois.

NKFI Research Grant Applications

The acceptance period for NKFI Research Grant Applications is now closed. Applicants whose grants were received by the deadline will be contacted.

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Connections - The official newsletter of the National Kidney Foundation of Illinois

The Fall/Winter 2008 issue of Connection is off the press! Please click here for a PDF of the newsletter. Or to request a hard copy, please call the NKFI office at 312.321.1500.
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Looking for a job in the renal field?

Click here to visit the Kidney Career Center on the National Kidney Foundation website.

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