National Kidney Foundation Recognizes March as National Kidney Month and World Kidney Day as it Celebrates a Key Milestone
New York City, NY – (March 10, 2025) — The National Kidney Foundation (NKF) is recognizing a special milestone this March during National Kidney Month. NKF is celebrating 75 years of transforming lives through kidney health advocacy, research, and innovation. As part of the celebration, NKF is launching “75+You” this Thursday, as part of World Kidney Day on March 13th, to rally communities nationwide in the fight against kidney disease and highlight how, together, we can make an impact on millions of lives.
"The National Kidney Foundation was founded 75 years ago by a mother who refused to accept that nothing could be done to save her son. That same relentless determination has driven NKF’s mission ever since," said Kevin Longino, CEO of the National Kidney Foundation and a kidney transplant recipient. "As we mark this milestone anniversary, we honor our past while forging ahead with bold action to change the future of kidney health."
Since its founding in 1950 as the Committee for Nephrosis Research, NKF has been a catalyst for groundbreaking achievements in kidney health. Notable milestones include:
- 1972 — Successfully advocating for the establishment of the Medicare End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) benefit, providing federal coverage for nearly all Americans with kidney failure—the only federally funded chronic disease program of its kind.
- 1995 — Launching the Kidney Disease Outcomes Quality Initiative (KDOQI®), which set critical clinical practice guidelines that have improved patient care for decades.
- 2021 — Collaborating with the American Society of Nephrology (ASN) to introduce a race-free formula for estimating eGFR, promoting equity in kidney care nationwide.
This year, the “75+You” campaign aims to make a direct impact on 75 million lives by 2030 through three key pillars:
Preventing the Preventable
- Double the proportion of adults with kidney disease who are aware of their condition.
- Double the number of individuals at risk or living with CKD who receive recommended testing.
Enabling Patients to Live the Life They Want
- Double the number of new dialysis patients starting on home dialysis.
- Ensure equity by increasing the proportion of home dialysis patients from underrepresented communities.
Ensuring Access to Transplants for All
- Double both living and deceased kidney donations.
- Reduce disparities in access and outcomes at every stage of the transplant process.
Take Action Today:
NKF encourages everyone to get involved this National Kidney Month by taking the Kidney Risk Quiz, becoming an advocate, or donating to support NKF’s mission. Together, through the power of “75+You,” we can revolutionize kidney care and create a healthier future for all. Visit kidney.org/75years to learn more, take the Kidney Risk Quiz, or find out how you can support the “75+You” campaign today!
Kidney Disease
In the United States, more than 35 million adults are estimated to have kidney disease, also known as chronic kidney disease (CKD)—and approximately 90 percent don’t know they have it. About 1 in 3 adults in the U.S. are at risk for 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 or African American people are about four times as likely as White people to have kidney failure. Hispanics experience kidney failure at about double the rate of White people.
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 kidney disease, please visit www.kidney.org/
###
Media Contact:
Paul McGee 716-523-6874
paul.mcgee@kidney.org