Kidney Month: A Time of Unity and Action on Behalf of 37 Million Living with Kidney Disease

ROCKVILLE, Md. (Feb. 28, 2023) – Tomorrow, the American Kidney Fund (AKF) will kick off the first day of Kidney Month, which raises awareness of kidney disease, a life-altering chronic condition that is a silent killer, with no symptoms in early stages. This March, AKF urges those in the kidney community and beyond to come together in support of all those affected by kidney disease.

A highlight of Kidney Month for the kidney community will be AKF's Kidney Action Week, which will be held March 20-24. This nationwide online gathering brings together patients, nephrologists, renal dieticians, advocates, caregivers and other kidney experts for a free, virtual experience that will educate and empower attendees.

Kidney Action Week will include a Congressional Briefing that will highlight the need to address prevention and management of diabetes and hypertension, the two leading causes of kidney failure. Speakers include Rep. Donald Payne (D-NJ), who lives with kidney disease and diabetes.

To learn more about Kidney Month and ways to get involved, people may visit AKF's Kidney Month hub, KidneyFund.org/kidney-month, and take the following actions:

• Register for Kidney Action Week
• Learn about health disparities in kidney disease by visiting AKF's new health equity microsite, KidneyHealthforAll.org
• Encourage a child with kidney disease to participate in AKF's annual Calendar Kids Art Contest
• Become an AKF Ambassador or Kidney Health Coach
• Download and share AKF's educational resources with others and learn healthy living tips for preventing or managing kidney disease
• Make a donation to honor a loved one or support the kidney community

"Kidney disease continues to be a major public health concern. It is the most rapidly spreading noncontagious disease in the United States, currently affecting 37 million Americans, including nearly 810,000 who are living with kidney failure," said LaVarne A. Burton, AKF President and CEO. "As we encourage people to unite around the cause of fighting kidney disease, AKF will continue to make strides in raising awareness and educating the nation about the severity of kidney disease and end stage renal disease."

Kidney disease imposes enormous physical, emotional and financial burdens on patients. Symptoms typically don't appear until later stages, so 9 in 10 people with early kidney disease do not know they have it or that they should be taking precautions to slow down the disease's progression. In addition to kidney failure, kidney disease can lead to other health problems, including stroke or heart attack. Once someone has reached kidney failure, they require dialysis or a kidney transplant to live. As many as 80 percent of dialysis patients can't work because of the toll of the disease.

AKF recognizes and appreciates its 2023 Corporate Membership class which supports our Kidney Month activities: Akebia Therapeutics, Inc., Alexion Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Amgen, Inc., Ardelyx, Inc., AstraZeneca plc, Calliditas Therapeutics AB, CSL Vifor, GSK, Horizon Therapeutics plc, Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation, Otsuka America Pharmaceutical, Inc., and Vertex Pharmaceuticals, Inc.