Organizations collaborate for National Kidney Month to raise awareness about the deadly disease
March 4, 2020, New York, NY – The National Kidney Foundation (NKF) and CVS Kidney Care, a CVS Health company, are partnering on a national campaign to raise awareness about kidney disease which affects approximately 37 million people in the U.S. In addition, 1 in every 3 American adults, or 33%, are at risk for developing this life-threatening disease.
Kidney disease often has no symptoms until the kidneys fail, so most people with the illness don’t know they have it until it has progressed to critical stages where transplant or dialysis is needed to survive. NKF and CVS Kidney Care want to change those statistics.
Throughout the month of March, the two organizations will join forces to promote awareness, especially to those who may have risk factors, encouraging individuals to learn more, get tested, and talk to their doctors.
The five greatest risk factors of the disease include:
“CVS Kidney Care and NKF share the same goals – to enable better care and help patients with kidney disease live longer and better lives,” said Bruce Culleton, MD, Chief Medical Officer for CVS Kidney Care. “Through CVS Health’s local presence in nearly 10,000 communities across the country, we can help more people understand and manage this disease, and, ultimately, decide on the treatment that is aligned to their goals and lifestyle.”
CVS Kidney Care and NKF will promote a digital quiz, which can be found at MinuteForYourKidneys.org. The quiz, part of the “Are You the 33%?” public awareness campaign will help people understand their level of risk and what to do next. CVS Kidney Care is also launching an educational site in the near future to help those with kidney disease learn about their condition and make healthy choices each day.
Every adult in the United States needs to know if they are among the 33% of people at risk or if they already have kidney disease. Early intervention can sometimes slow the progression of the disease and stop kidneys from failing.
“We are grateful for this partnership with CVS,” said Kevin Longino, CEO of National Kidney Foundation and a kidney transplant recipient. “Because of these efforts, critical information will get into the hands of people who desperately need it. Making patients aware of their risk may help lead to early diagnosis which can help prevent, or stave off, complications or possible kidney failure.”
Kidney disease can strike anyone, young or old, but lifestyle changes and diet can make a difference and can even slow the progression of kidney disease. Learn more at kidney.org.
Kidney Disease Facts
In the United States, 37 million adults are estimated to have chronic kidney disease, 90% of whom are not even aware 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, Native American, Asian or Pacific Islander descent are at increased risk for developing the disease. African Americans are 3 times more likely than Whites, and Hispanics are nearly 1.5 times more likely than non-Hispanics to develop end-stage renal disease (kidney failure).
The National Kidney Foundation (NKF) is the largest, most comprehensive, and longstanding patient-centric organization dedicated to the awareness, prevention, and treatment of kidney disease in the U.S. For more information about NKF, visit www.kidney.org.
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