April 29, 2025 is National AMKD Awareness Day
April 30 marked the first ever APOL1-Mediated Kidney Disease (AMKD) Awareness Day, but you can stay APOL1 Aware year-round.
What is AMKD?
APOL1-Mediated Kidney Disease (AMKD) is a spectrum of kidney diseases associated with mutations in the apolipoprotein L1 (APOL1) gene that is linked to an increased risk for rapidly progressing kidney disease in people of Western and Central African descent.
Be APOL1 aware
Being APOL1 aware means knowing how your genes impact your kidney health. Knowing whether you have the APOL1 variants that cause AMKD could keep your kidneys working longer. The only way to know is to have a genetic test.
Resources for Kidney Professionals
In addition to the genetic counseling guide available for your patients, AKF's webinar providing an overview of on APOL1-mediated kidney disease and implications for patient care and accompanying summary are available for health care professionals.
Join the APOL1 community
Thank you for your interest and support of AMKD Awareness Day. We will start planning for 2025 soon. If you or your organization would like get involved in 2025, please fill out this form.
Sign up below:
AMKD stories
AKF is working to collect personal AMKD stories to illustrate the patient journey and draw attention to this disease.
Click here to create your video and we'll publish your story on this page
Shareable social media graphics
Community Toolkit
Thank you for joining our efforts to raise awareness about AMKD and be #APOL1aware. Working together, we can increase knowledge about APOL1's connection to kidney disease and how where we come from may impact our kidney health. The AMKD Awareness Day Community Toolkit includes resources to share on social media. Find sample social posts, graphics, and other shareable content.
Advocacy Efforts
The materials below include background information on APOL1-mediated kidney disease and current legislation supported by AKF around rare diseases, along with the proclamation introduced by Congresswoman Stacey Plaskett to declare April 30 as AMKD Awareness Day.
State Proclamations
Proclamations help bring public attention and inform elected officials about a wide number of issues. We thank all of the advocates across the country who worked to secure AMKD Awareness Day proclamations this year.
2024 AMKD Awareness Day supporters
Thank you to all of the organizations who supported this year's efforts to raise much-needed awareness of AMKD.
