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Public Education, Programs & Advocacy
The KidneyMobile®. The National Kidney Foundation of Illinois offers free screening and educational programs for people who are at-risk for developing kidney disease in conjunction with the KidneyMobile®, a 35 foot mobile unit that travels throughout the state of Illinois to provide free comprehensive kidney disease screenings and education. More information on the schedule and photos of the vehicle are available at www.kidneymobile.org.
The Gift of Life Advocates are a group of transplant recipients, living kidney donors, donor family members, healthcare professionals and patients with kidney disease, all of whom are devoted to advocating at both the state and federal levels for legislation that benefits these communities. The Gift of Life Advocates meet with local legislators throughout Illinois and participate in an annual lobby day in Springfield, Illinois. If you are interested in joining this group, please contact Jessica MacLean at JMacLean@nkfi.org.
Gift of Life Advocates Brochure
Advocacy Update
A bill to extend Medicare coverage of immunosuppressant medications for kidney transplant patients has been introduced on the federal level. Illinois’ own U.S. Senator Dick Durbin is spearheading this bill in partnership with U.S. Senators Thad Cochran and Scott Brown. If passed, this bill would extend Medicare coverage of immunosuppressants for kidney transplant patients past the current 36-month mark, significantly reducing the financial burden that many kidney recipients face if they do not have alternate insurance coverage to cover these costs 3 years after transplant.
Help us bring on new co-sponsors for this bill by contacting Senator Kirk and your U.S. House Representative. The following letters are samples of messages you can send:
U.S. House Representative Sample Letter
The Illinois Diabetes Policy Coalition (IDPC) is an independent consortium of healthcare organizations who have joined together to advocate on behalf of people with diabetes and who suffer diabetes complications. The IDPC is your source for unbiased information on diabetes education and care.
The mission of the Illinois Diabetes Policy Coalition (IDPC) is to engage in policy activities and support initiatives that:
- reduce the burden of diabetes and are evidence-based
- thoughtfully address the health disparity associated with diabetes
- improve diabetes prevention methods and increase access to education and early detection.
IDPC Newsletters
June 2011
March 2011
Please click here for a list of our coalition member agencies. For more information about the Illinois Diabetes Policy Coalition and its membership please contact Nicole Sisen at nsisen@nkfi.org.
Brochures and Fact Sheets. The NKFI provides a wide variety of educational materials relating to kidney and urological disease, dialysis, transplantation and organ donation. Individual sample copies are free of charge to patients, professionals and the general public. Multiple copies as requested by organizations are also available at cost. Spanish materials are available.
High School Organ Donor Education Program. Transplant recipients and donor families share their experiences with transplantation to high school students and encourage them to have a family discussion regarding organ donation. This program has education more than 120,000 students in Illinois since its inception in 1999. For more information, please contact Jane Lee-Zimmer at 630.758.2740 or via email to jlee-zimmer@giftofhope.org.
Communities in Schools
The NKFI is partnering with Communities in Schools of Chicago (CISC) to provide education to students, teachers, staff and parents on the importance of early detection of high blood pressure, diabetes and chronic kidney disease with our free screening program through the KidneyMobile. Communities in Schools of Chicago seeks to help young people learn, stay in school and prepare for life. CISC offers a solution by connecting students and their families with free programs and services that address the needs of students that are not currently met. These can range from physicals and immunizations and theater performances, to violence prevention education and mental health care. If you are interested in bringing the KidneyMobile to your school, please contact Nicole Sisen at 312.321.1500 x246 or via email to nsisen@nkfi.org.
Building a Healthier Chicago
The NKFI is a participating organization of the Building a Healthier Chicago (BHC). Building a Healthier Chicago is a collaborative of local and national stakeholders working to strengthen efforts to promote the health of Chicago residents and employees. Through collaboration, BHC promotes and tracks the adoption of selected programs, practices, policies and supportive environments throughout the worksites, schools, health care organizations, faith based organizations, parks and neighborhoods of Chicago. BHC works with community organizations, academics, health care and government to improve the health of all citizens. The NKFI and BHC are in partnership to make a significant impact on the health of all Chicagoans. To find out more on this coalition, please visit www.healthierchicago.org.
Community Health Charities of Illinois
The NKFI is a member agency of Community Health Charities of Illinois (CHCI). CHCI is the largest workplace giving program dedicated solely to health causes. If you are interested in inviting the NKFI and CHCI to your workplace, please contact Nicole Sisen at 312.321.1500 x246 or via email to nsisen@nkfi.org.
