Healthy.io, Platinum Recording Artist Freeway Join with NKF to Advance Kidney Health Equity at Congressional Black Caucus Annual Legislative Conference and Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute's Leadership Conference
(September 19, 2023, Washington, DC) – In honor of Hispanic Heritage Month and in recognition of the burden of chronic kidney disease (CKD) in Black/African American populations, Latino/Hispanic populations, and other marginalized communities, the National Kidney Foundation (NKF) is proud to announce several activities it is undertaking as part of its KIDNEY EQUITY FOR ALL™ initiative, including:
- Participating and hosting screening events with Healthy.io at the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute’s (CHCI LC) Leadership Conference Exhibitor Showcase on September 19th and 20th
- Participating and hosting screening events with Healthy.io at the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation Annual Legislative Conference (CBCF-ALC) Exhibitor Showcase on September 20th - 22nd and the CBCF’s Community Health Screening and Breakfast on September 21st
- Partnering with Freeway at a special panel session on CKD at the CBCF-ALC on September 20th
- Launching a petition to make kidney transplantation more equitable
“Black and Hispanic populations are plagued with the most significant kidney disease burden and the highest rates of kidney disease mortality,” said NKF President Sylvia Rosas, MD. “Despite this, they are exposed to inequities in kidney care including evaluation and obtaining a kidney transplant. It is imperative that lawmakers from the CBC and CHC understand the impact of kidney disease in their communities and the policies they can promote to achieve equity in kidney care.”
Screening and Awareness Activities:
To promote CKD awareness, NKF is partnering with Healthy.io, a leading innovator in digital health, to provide kidney screening tests. Attendees at both events can take NKF’s one-minute quiz to see if they are at a higher risk for kidney disease and then can choose to receive a complimentary Healthy.io Minuteful Kidney test kit - the first and only smartphone-powered kidney test - delivered to their home.
“Earlier detection of CKD can lead to improved health outcomes and impact the lives of millions who today face barriers to care," said Paula LeClair, US General Manager of Healthy.io. "Enabling broad testing is our top priority, which is why we are proud to be partnering with NKF to provide Minuteful Kidney test kits to Americans at risk. It will allow us to reach people who otherwise may not have undergone routine testing – before it’s too late."
Special Panel Session Featuring Platinum Recording Artist Freeway
Sponsored by Bayer, the NKF will host a panel discussion entitled Kidney Equity for All: Saving Others From the Fire through Earlier Detection & Intervention. This important dialogue will feature Dr. Kirk Campbell, a renowned nephrologist and President-elect of NKF; Vicki Hall, Executive Director, Market Access Strategy, CVR, Bayer; and Platinum recording artist Freeway, who has faced the challenges of kidney failure firsthand.
“Kidney disease is a shameful example of racial and ethnic inequality in health care,” said Freeway. “Kidney disease is more common among Black Americans, we’re more likely to have kidney failure, less likely to get options like home dialysis or transplant, and more likely to die from kidney disease complications. But we can put a stop to this inequality by raising awareness, increasing diagnosis and treatment, and ending policies that perpetuate racism in health care.”
Advocating for More Equitable Transplant Policy
This month, NKF is also launching a petition calling for the elimination of race as a factor in the Kidney Donor Risk Index (KDRI) screening equation. The petition calls on the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN) to remove ethnicity from the KDRI immediately and is a critical step in our KIDNEY EQUITY FOR ALL™ initiative. Conference attendees and the general public are urged to sign the petition and support this important cause at https://voices.kidney.org/kdri-petition/
“NKF is leading the way to make sure all Americans have high quality kidney care – from diagnosis to dialysis care, to transplant and beyond. We are committed to creating a community where there is Kidney equity for all,” said Kevin Longino NKF CEO and transplant recipient. “We deeply appreciate the support of Healthy.io, Bayer, Freeway, the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation and the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute for allowing us this opportunity to raise awareness and save lives.”
About Kidney Disease
In the United States, 37 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 more than four times as likely as White Americans 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 NKF, visit www.kidney.org.
About KIDNEY EQUITY FOR ALL™
Historically, access to kidney health has remained inequitable, with persistent disparities disproportionately affecting underserved populations and impacting the entire kidney patient journey. To address these disparities, NKF is urging industry and community leaders to join them on their KIDNEY EQUITY FOR ALL™ mission by allocating resources to improve healthcare access and outcomes in communities of color. This is a tangible opportunity for businesses to incorporate Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) principles into their operations. For more information on KIDNEY EQUITY FOR ALL™, visit www.kidneyequityforall.org.
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