Who is the National Kidney Foundation?

March is National Kidney Month so join us as we celebrate the impactful work that the National Kidney Foundation does all year long! With 73 million American adults currently at risk for developing kidney disease, the chances that you know someone affected by this are high. The National Kidney Foundation (NKF) is proud to be considered a thought leader in the field of kidney disease, and aims to share their knowledge so that everyone – the general public, patients, medical professionals, public officials, etc. – has accurate information and an appropriate sense of understanding and urgency around kidney disease.

NKF’s Mission

The Core Pillars of this impactful foundation are awareness, prevention, and treatment. This ensures that community members at all stages of kidney disorders can receive the help and information that they need. NKF is dedicated to reaching those at risk before the onset of kidney disease, equipping practitioners with the latest screening and management information, and promoting awareness regarding the importance of early detection and treatment. The National Kidney Foundation is a lifeline for all people affected by kidney disease, connecting patients, healthcare professionals and activists in our quest to beat the 9th leading cause of death in America. 80 cents of every dollar donated goes to research, patient services, professional education, public health education, and community services.

New and Exciting

This year, NKF is launching a brand new program called Kidney Care Kits. Kidney Care Kits provide educational materials and interactive resources to patients at all stages of chronic kidney disease. The kits are designed to help kidney patients be more informed about, and better able to manage, their kidney disease. Kidney Care Kits are targeted for the person’s stage of kidney disease and include relevant NKF publications; information about NKF programs, resources and local events; interactive resources; and a medical document bag. These kits will provide educational material to create more informed patients, provide them with resources, and strengthen or create relationships with nephrology offices, primary care practices, and dialysis centers for additional involvement in other NKF programs and events. These kits are extremely beneficial, but also extremely costly to create. 

Get Involved

Get your walking shoes on and join the Kidney Walk on June 25. Hoffman Auto Group and other NKF walkers will be at University of Hartford, walking in support of those in need and raising funds for NKF to continue to provide action and education. Register here.

There are other creative ways to participate in the mission. By joining Team Kidney, you can run, walk, bake, sell, swim, create- the possibilities are endless! The money you raise helps NKF promote awareness, prevention and treatment of kidney disease to millions of patients and their families, and tens of millions of Americans at risk.

If you’re heading to SXSW Music Festival this year, you have the unique opportunity to be a part of something special- Heart Your Kidneys. This year at SXSW, the National Kidney Foundation is giving out limited-edition temporary tattoos designed by ink master Tommy Helm, and the chance to get inked by a top tattoo artist. People who have had kidney transplants often get tattoos to commemorate the experience as well as the person who donated their vital organ to help save their life. Learn more about Heart Your Kidneys here.

Do you want to learn more about NKF? Join Corporate Walk Chair, Susan Lane, Director of Public Relations & Community Engagement, Hoffman Auto Group on March 30 at Infinity Hall for an informative and inspirational FREE breakfast session for the National Kidney Foundation Hartford Walk. Brad Drazen from NBC Connecticut will entertain and delight us as our emcee and Middletown Mayor Daniel Drew is the special keynote speaker. Come find out why it is important to be involved and how you can support with your own NKF Hartford Walk team later this year. Email Susan to get on the guest list for the breakfast session.

How will you get involved? Let us know in the comments below. For more information about The National Kidney Foundation, please visit their website.