March 11, 2010 is World Kidney Day

http://www.kidney.org/news/wkd/

Dear Friend:

Today is World Kidney Day! It’s the perfect time to look back and celebrate the progress we have made in the fight against kidney disease.

In 1950, when the National Kidney Foundation (NKF) was founded, people with kidney failure had little hope or available treatments: there was no dialysis or transplants, which meant they simply died.

Today, kidney patients can enjoy rich and productive lives, and NKF is proud to have played a role in providing vital programs and services for these individuals and their families for the past 60 years. But, now we need your help more than ever.

The scope of kidney disease continues to grow: 26 million Americans–1 in 9–have chronic kidney disease. More than 367,000 currently depend on dialysis for survival. More than 83,000 are on the waiting list for a kidney transplant. Every two hours, one person waiting for a kidney dies.

As we commemorate our 60th Anniversary, the need for our services remains critical. Please make a generous gift to our 60th Anniversary Fund Campaign. You can also help us by becoming a volunteer fundraiser for NKF and by reaching out to your family, friends and coworkers

All gifts help us provide valuable public and professional education, early detection screenings, and research into the causes and treatments of kidney diseases. They also provide vital services to people with kidney disease, dialysis patients, transplant recipients and organ donors across the United States.

Happy World Kidney Day and thank you for helping us provide help and hope to everyone affected by kidney disease.

Sincerely,

John Davis, CEO
The National Kidney Foundation