You may already follow the National Kidney Foundation (NKF) on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter. Maybe you read our blog posts or visit our website for information. But did you know you can also join NKF and become part of the oldest and largest kidney organization in the country? You’ll join in our shared mission to improve the lives of people affected by kidney disease.

As a patient-centered organization, NKF needs your voice to be strong! We look to our Patient and Family Council members to help us by weighing in on important issues affecting kidney patients, such as potential changes in standards of care or insurance coverage. We are committed to making sure that the voices of our members are heard by all levels of government, locally and nationally. We even host yearly fly-ins, where we bring advocates together in Washington, DC, to talk to government officials directly about the issues that are affecting their everyday lives.

As we continue to work diligently to improve care for all kidney patients and aim to prevent kidney disease for those at risk, we’re proud to share that in this past year alone, due to our advocacy and public policy efforts, we were able to avoid deep Medicare dialysis payment cuts that would have negatively affected patient care. We also continue to fight for Medicare coverage of immunosuppressant medications for the life of the transplant. And we remain strong advocates for adding phosphorus to food labels.

Additionally, we are launching a Primary Care Initiative to ensure that primary care physicians know the importance of early diagnosis of kidney disease to avoid complications and progression of the disease. Your feedback will be invaluable to us as we roll out this vital program.

Being a member of our Patient and Family Council is also a great way to make sure you don’t miss any important information about local events, new research, kidney related health news, and more. We are constantly developing new programs, such as PEERS mentoring, apps, and educational materials to help you and your loved ones—whether you are working to prevent or live well with kidney disease.

Tell us what matters to you! Your experiences and opinions help us understand how current or proposed laws, policies, regulations, and practices impact your life. We will send out surveys inviting your feedback. We appreciate your honest answers and value your unique personal perspectives.

“During this exciting time of re-envisioning how patients and families can partner with their health care teams, the National Kidney Foundation’s Patient and Family Council (PFC) is the perfect way to have your voices heard.  As one of the leading organizations whose mission it is to fight kidney disease, the National Kidney Foundation wants to partner with you.  Come join us!” – Celeste Castillo Lee, Chairperson, NKF Patient and Family Council

We look forward to sharing, innovating, thinking, and working together with you! Click here to join us today!