Today on World Kidney Day and throughout the month of March - National Kidney Month - the National Kidney Foundation of Louisiana (NKFL) is reminding all Louisianans to “Heart Your Kidneys.” Kidney disease is the 9th leading cause of death in the U.S., causing more deaths than breast and prostate cancer each year. Of the 113,000 Americans currently on the waiting list for a lifesaving organ transplant, more than 101,000 need a kidney, but only 17,000 people receive one each year. Every day, 12 people die waiting for a kidney. In Louisiana, there are 1,800 individuals waiting for a life-saving kidney transplant. Many of them will not receive one because of a shortage of organ donations. YOU CAN HELP! Please consider donating a kidney to a family member, a friend or to someone that needs your "spare". Living organ donors help others by giving them a second chance at life.
The NKFL urges anyone with diabetes, hypertension, or a family history of kidney disease to speak with their doctor this month, or anytime, and ask about getting tested for kidney disease. “It takes just two simple tests at the doctor’s office to check your kidney health. Even if you inherit kidney disease, you may be able to slow down the progression of this disease with lifestyle changes,” said Torie Kranze, Chief Executive Officer, National Kidney Foundation of Louisiana. “Kidneys should be treated like any other vital organ in the body. Take time today to make sure your kidneys are staying healthy.”
To see if you are at risk for kidney disease, take a simple, one-minute online quiz. Go to minuteforyourkidneys.org today and find out what to do next and how to talk to your doctor. Life-threatening kidney disease can strike anyone, young or old, but early intervention can make a difference. Lifestyle changes and a healthy diet can sometimes slow the progression of the disease when caught in the early stages. Join the conversation on social media by looking for and posting the hashtag #minuteforyourkidneys.
To commemorate World Kidney Day, many buildings and landmarks across the state are turning their lights orange to help bring awareness to chronic kidney disease. Children’s Hospital New Orleans, Hibernia Tower (New Orleans), Hyatt Regency New Orleans, LITE Center (Lafayette), Louisiana Governor’s Mansion (Baton Rouge), the Mercedes-Benz Superdome (New Orleans), Ochsner Medical Center Westbank (New Orleans), The Advocate Baton Rouge, and University Medical Center (New Orleans) will go orange for kidney disease and living organ donation awareness. Join the conversation on social media by looking for and posting #HeartYourKidneys and #WorldKidneyDay.
Kidney Disease Facts 37 million American adults are estimated to have chronic kidney disease—and most aren’t aware of it. 1 in 3 American adults are at risk for chronic kidney disease. Risk factors include: diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, obesity and family history of kidney failure. People of African American, Hispanic, Native American, Asian or Pacific Islander descent are at increased risk for developing the disease. African Americans are three times more likely than Whites, and Hispanics are nearly 1.5 times more likely than non-Hispanics to develop endstage renal disease (kidney failure).
The National Kidney Foundation of Louisiana (NKFL) is the major statewide voluntary non-profit health organization dedicated to preventing kidney disease, improving the health and well-being of individuals affected by this disease and increasing the availability of all organs for transplantation. For more information about the NKFL, visit www.kidneyla.org.
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