NKF Remembers Lioness of Kidney Advocacy
~Statement from the National Kidney Foundation on the passing of Nietlje Gedney~
New York, NY (September 22, 2023) – The Kidney Community lost a lioness yesterday with the passing of Nieltje Gedney, Executive Director of Home Dialyzers United. Nietlje was a tireless advocate for home dialysis, working to educate patients, professionals, and lawmakers about the importance of giving people facing kidney failure more treatment options. Thanks to her efforts, more Americans than ever enjoy the flexibility, freedom, and quality of life that home dialysis affords. Nieltje demonstrated that individuals can not only survive kidney failure, but that they can thrive in spite of it. She fought to ensure that every patient in every corner of our country could access high quality kidney care. Moreover, she was an advocate, supporter, and friend to us all.
The National Kidney Foundation extends our deepest condolences to Nieltje’s daughter, granddaughter, family, and her wide circle of friends. She will be greatly missed.
About Kidney Disease
In the United States, 37 million adults are estimated to have kidney disease, also known as chronic kidney disease—and approximately 90 percent don’t know they have it. 1 in 3 American adults 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 African American, Hispanic, American Indian, Asian, or Pacific Islander descent are at increased risk for developing the disease. African 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.
About the National Kidney Foundation
The National Kidney Foundation is revolutionizing the fight to save lives by eliminating preventable kidney disease, accelerating innovation for the dignity of the patient experience, and dismantling structural inequities in kidney care, dialysis, and transplantation. For more information about NKF, visit www.kidney.org.
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