This fall, Denver-area residents have the chance to make every step count in the fight against kidney disease: The Denver Kidney Walk, which gives local residents, loved ones, volunteers and businesses the opportunity to join the National Kidney Foundation in their mission to make a difference in the lives of those affected by kidney disease.
Denver7 is a proud partner of the National Kidney Foundation and the Denver Kidney Walk. Denver7 Anchor/Reporter Ryan Fish will emcee the event.
“The National Kidney Foundation is a lifeline for thousands of patients with all stages of kidney disease and supports thousands of volunteer fundraisers through NKF Kidney Walks held in nearly 70 communities across the country,” said, Dr. Daniel Kuehler, co-chair of the Denver Kidney Walk and transplant surgeon with AdventHealth Transplant Institute at Porter Hospital. “Every step our walkers take raises millions of dollars for NKF programs for patients, innovation in research, awareness campaigns and legislative change. We need your help now to give families the information and answers they need to achieve optimal kidney health and advocate for patients who need access to dialysis and transplants.”
NKF’s Kidney Walk is the nation’s largest walk to fight kidney disease and a signature community fundraiser for the NKF that provides an opportunity for families affected by kidney disease to join together in hope and solidarity. Funds raised through participant support allow the NKF to launch public educational awareness campaigns that shine a bright light on kidney disease, a national public health crisis affecting 37 million Americans, particularly among communities of color.
These events are critical to NKF’s Kidney Equity strategy to combat health disparities and advocate for change as people of color with kidney disease have a higher risk of adverse outcomes. Black or African American people represent 13 percent of the U.S. population but they make up 35 percent of those with kidney failure. And Hispanics experience kidney failure at about double the rate of White people.
Research shows that societal factors also influence health, such as poverty, education, food insecurity and housing, so a person’s zip code, not genetic code, can be a bigger factor in developing kidney disease. Recognition of these social issues reflects a broader call by NKF to re-examine institutional policies and practices and to identify where structural racism affects the risk of developing kidney disease and overall kidney healthcare. To that end, NKF is also funding new kidney disease treatments to get them to patients faster and ensuring that the public and medical professionals have access to the latest science on kidney health.
Individuals can sign up to participate in the Denver Kidney Walk at www.kidneywalk.org/denver and create a personal fundraising page to help raise money for the cause. More than 86 cents of every dollar donated directly supports NKF programs and services.
For more information about the Denver Kidney Walk or the National Kidney Foundation, please visit www.kidneywalk.org/denver.
This article was paid for through an in-kind partnership.
