A World Kidney Day Congressional Record Entry
On March 9th, America celebrated World Kidney Day. This awareness raising event resulted in a day of attention on kidney disease across major cities and in all 50 states.
Multiple state legislatures and city governments
Kansas Advocates on the State Capitol’s Floor
issued proclamations about the importance of chronic kidney disease education and CKD’s impact on the 26 million Americans who have it. Some legislatures recognized NKF advocates for their extraordinary work. Others brought kidney disease patients onto their floor to celebrate World Kidney Day. In fact, several states – including Texas, Kansas, and South Carolina – hosted advocacy days in their state capitols to further emphasize the impact of CKD to their legislators and staff.
LAX Pylons
Buildings, bridges, airports, ferris wheels, and natural landmarks turned orange, the national color recognizing kidney health, and hung
Sioux Falls
banners in recognition of World Kidney Day. In Seattle, the Columbia Tower, the Great Wheel, and the Seattle Westin shined in bright orange. In Los Angeles, LAX Airport turned its pylons orange. In Boston, the Zakim Bridge went orange and banners were hung from the Corey Tower in Atlanta. Even the Empire State Building was shining bright all night.
In addition, many activities promoting kidney health occurred across the country. In
Dallas Health Screening
Dallas, NKF worked with the Dallas Health and Human Services Department to host a free clinic that screened over 250 people, as part of NKF’s KEEP Healthy Screening initiative.
In Columbia, SC, NKF held a screening at the state capitol building and helped educate around 400 people.
Ribbon Cutting Ceremony in Chicago
In Chicago, Illinois Secretary of State, Jesse White, cut the ribbon on NKF’s new “Kidney Mobile” during World Kidney Day. Following the ribbon cutting ceremony, the RV served as a mobile clinic for health screenings.
CKD also made the news as many of these events were covered and kidney advocates were interviewed. One such interview took place in Virginia when NBC12’s Heather Sullivan interviewed the daughter of a KAC liaison, Hannah Shelton. Hannah is a 17-year-old who suffered from Wilms tumor and received a lifesaving transplant from her father. In Dallas, NKF Regional Programs Director Mark Edwards was interviewed on CBS to help educate Texans about CKD and CKD testing. Similarly, Perry Hall was interviewed by Cincinnati’s WKRC news to educate Ohioans.
Leading up to World Kidney Day, on March 6th and 7th, more than 125 advocates and 6
Summit Participants
kidney organizations, hosted by NKF, met with their Senators and Representatives to educate them on CKD and the priority policy issues that will improve the lives of kidney patients. Advocates from around the country also joined the event virtually through NKF’s Patient Summit website by sending more than 1,500 tweets, videos of themselves, and emails to Members of Congress. NKF also used the opportunity to launch its new hashtag for kidney disease advocacy, #mykidneysmylife. Several members of Congress also took the opportunity to show solidarity with kidney patients by wearing the NKF’s #mykidneysmylife sticker on World Kidney Day. Congresswoman Kelly (D-IL) even recognized an NKF advocate and the need to address kidney disease earlier by entering a statement in the Congressional Record.
NKF also hosted a press conference on living donation that was attended by approximately 150 people, including three Congressional speakers, Rep. Nadler (D-NY), Rep. Herrera Beutler (R-WA) and her family, and Rep. Guthrie (R-KY).
What did you do on World Kidney Day? Share it with us by commenting below!
Advocacy in Action 
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