American Kidney Fund Mourns the Loss of Home Dialysis Champion Nieltje Gedney

ROCKVILLE, Md. (September 22, 2023) – The American Kidney Fund (AKF) mourns the loss of Nieltje Gedney, the executive director of Home Dialyzors United (HDU). Nieltje was a passionate advocate for people with kidney disease and a leader in the home dialysis community.

Earlier this month, Nieltje and AKF President and CEO LaVarne A. Burton welcomed participants to the second virtual Dialysis at Home summit, hosted by AKF and HDU. Nieltje worked throughout the kidney community to educate others about home dialysis and advocate on behalf of people with kidney failure. She was a tireless advocate, and AKF was proud to count her among our 20,000 patient Ambassadors.

"We are deeply saddened by the loss of a pioneer in the kidney community. Our thoughts are with Nieltje's loved ones during this difficult time. She recently told me one of the things she most liked about home dialysis was how it allowed her to participate in her grandchildren's activities. Nieltje was wholly committed to educating people about the benefits of home dialysis and taking charge of their own health care," Burton said. "She refused to be boxed in or limited by her kidney disease and inspired others to do the same, encouraging them to 'face their fear' and learn everything they could about their disease. Thanks to Nieltje, people in the kidney community feel a little less alone in their fight. We will miss Nieltje tremendously, but her legacy and her dedication – not just on behalf of kidney patients but for everyone who faces adversity – will live on and will be felt for years to come."