From the Metropolis Planet by Terra Temple
World Kidney Day is Thursday, March 9, and Community Health Workers supported by Illinois Public Health Association are working with the National Kidney Foundation of Illinois to bring World Kidney Day to southern Illinois for the first time.
The IPHA is hosting a community health fair at Shawnee Community College in Anna and Union County Hospital.
Services will be available from noon until 5 p.m. The afternoon will include: health screenings, opportunities to consult with medical professionals and products from regional health care teams; and health risk assessments and tests for cholesterol, blood pressure and blood glucose levels.
The KidneyMobile will be on-site to administer diabetes and chronic kidney disease screenings. Morning appointments at Union County Hospital are available for cholesterol, A1C and blood glucose screenings that require fasting for the best results.
Participation is free. There are no residency requirements and health insurance will not be required.
World Kidney Day is a day to celebrate kidney health and promote awareness of kidney disease across the globe. Thirty-seven million American adults are estimated to have chronic kidney disease, but hundreds of thousands of Illinoisans are unaware of their condition.
In the United States, kidney disease is the 10th leading cause of death; in Illinois, it’s the ninth. The current wait time in Illinois for a deceased donor kidney is between five and eight years.