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What began as preparation for a simple surgery set off a chain of events in Janet Tennyson’s life that culminated in a kidney disease diagnosis. This journey would shed light on her health and expose systemic biases in medical testing itself. Her discoveries ignited a passion for advocacy and the desire to amplify the importance of early screening for kidney health.
Read on to learn about how Janet turned an impossible situation into...
Shanaha Brown was diagnosed with kidney disease as a child. It wasn't severe, but she grew up frequenting the doctor's office to monitor the condition. For thirty-five years, Shanaha maintained her kidney function. She got married, had children, and continued living life as usual.
Shanaha's world turned upside down when she caught COVID-19. Her kidneys failed. She learned her childhood kidney disease was likely triggered by a genetic...
NKF's patient advocacy and engagement program, the Kidney Advocacy Committee (KAC), is a growing group of nearly 200 elite patient liaisons who use their personal experiences and expertise to inform public policy makers of kidney-related legislation, policies, research, programs, and education. They participate in a wide array of activities to change kidney disease health policy, and improve care, quality of life, and treatment of kidney...
Dr. Wang is a clinician-scientist at the University of Hong Kong, Queen Mary Hospital and currently serves as president-elect of the International Society of Renal Nutrition and Metabolism. She is an international authority and a distinguished speaker on topics...
By Mary Baliker, NKF Kidney Advocacy Committee Co-Chair
As a person living with kidney disease for more than 40 years, I know how important it is to have affordable medications and healthcare. While I was just out of college and entering the workforce, I found myself worrying about how I would pay for my medications. I used multiple credit cards just so I was able to pay for medications – and knew that I was fortunate that I...
"Unless people with privilege are standing up and pushing back against those using their privilege for bad for bad purposes, these disparities are going to continue." –Brian Sims, PA Representative
Discrimination and harassment can get in the way of members of the LGBTQ+ community receiving medical care, which increases the risk of health problems. Dr. Dinushika Mohottige and Dr. Mitchell R. Lunn, two experts in sexual and...