March 11, 2021, Chicago, IL — In honor of World Kidney Day on Thursday, March 11, at 11:45 AM the National Kidney Foundation of Illinois (NKFI) is hosting a virtual lunch and learn session to celebrate kidney health. The event will include a proclamation from Lieutenant Governor Juliana Stratton, sessions on understanding risk factors, treatment modalities, organ donation, COVID-19 vaccinations, and exercise and cooking demonstrations. Registration details can be found here.
“Today we observe World Kidney Day, a day to build awareness about the importance of understanding your kidney health, as well as reducing the impact of kidney disease globally,” said Jacqueline Burgess-Bishop, FACHE, Chief Executive Officer of NKFI. “Everyone needs to know about kidney disease, but especially if you have any one of the five risk factors – diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, obesity or a family history of kidney disease. Knowing you’re at risk is the first step towards living a healthier life.”
Throughout the month of March, NKFI is promoting this important message through social media and asks all Americans to take action with a simple, one-minute quiz at MinuteForYourKidneys.org to find out if they’re at risk for kidney disease. The campaign includes an initiative with award-winning actress Debbie Allen which focuses on the connection between type 2 diabetes (T2D) as a leading cause of kidney disease, also known as chronic kidney disease (CKD). This campaign aims to empower people to know their kidney risk, understand the importance of managing their blood sugar for good kidney health, and talk to their doctors about diabetes and kidney disease.
Black Americans are 13 percent of the U.S. population, but represent 35 percent of those with kidney failure. Hispanics or Latinos are 1.3 times as likely as non-Hispanics/Latinos to develop kidney failure. Diabetes is a leading cause of kidney disease as well as high blood pressure. Both are more prevalent in these at-risk communities. Everyone needs to know about kidney disease, but especially if you have any one of these additional risk factors: heart disease, obesity, and family history of kidney disease. Take the one-minute quiz available in English and in Spanish at MinuteForYourKidneys.org.
About Kidney Disease
In the United States, 37 million adults are estimated to have chronic kidney disease—and approximately 90 percent don’t know they have it. 1 in 3 adults in the U.S. are at risk for chronic kidney disease. Risk factors for kidney disease include: diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, obesity, and family history. People of Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, American Indian or Alaska Native, Asian American, or Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander descent are at increased risk for developing the disease. Black Americans are almost 4 times more likely than White Americans to have kidney failure. Hispanics are 1.3 times more likely than non-Hispanics to have kidney failure.
The National Kidney Foundation of Illinois improves the health and well-being of people at risk for or affected by kidney disease through prevention, education and empowerment. For more information about NKFI, visit www.nkfi.org.
###
Commenti