Patient Advocates Make their Voices Heard at Kidney Day at the State House

SUMMER 2011 Information from Your Local National Kidney Foundation

The Orangeburg Kidney Walk Raised $60,000!

More than 750 people from

Orangeburg and surrounding

communities participated

in the fifth annual Orangeburg Kidney

Walk, presented by the Regional Medical

Center, at the Edisto Memorial Gardens

on October 21. Thanks to everyone who

walked with us and raised funds so

that we could continue delivering our

programs and services.

The National Kidney Foundation was

honored to have Tom Dandridge, President

and CEO of the Regional Medical Center

(RMC), serve as the Corporate Chairman.

To join the 2011 Orangeburg Walk, contact

Mary Higginbotham at 800.488.2277 or

email: Mary.Higginbotham@kidney.org.

(L-R): Former NKF Board President, David Campbell; Senator Hugh K. Leatherman; Division President, Beth Irick; and Former NKF Board President Allen Amsler

Each year, the National Kidney Foundation holds an advocacy day at the South

Carolina State House. Kidney Day at the State House gives patient advocates the

opportunity to discuss issues facing the kidney community and give a voice to

those who have kidney disease.

This year’s Kidney Day at the South Carolina State House was another success. More

than 450 people attended and 45 patient advocates met with their representatives from the

General Assembly. If you would like to be a part of next year’s Kidney Day at the State House,

please contact Mary Higginbotham at Mary.Higginbotham@kidney.org or 800.488.2277.

Orangeburg Walk, cont’d. p. 7

Starting Fall 2011, the ConnectionsNewsletter will be sent via Email

Please visit www.kidneysc.org to make sure you receive the

electronic version of our newsletters. If you would still like

to receive the hard copy, please let us know by calling

Tish Clonts at 803.799.3870.

Nona Clark (center) and her fellow Red Hatters won the banner contest. Mrs. Clark’s son, Gregg, donated a kidney to her other son, John.

(See Page 5)

2 NAtIoNAL KIDNEY FoUNDAtIoN SERVINg tHE cARoLINAS

The First Upstate Kidney Walk Brought In More Than $50,000

Mark Your calendar for upcoming NKF golf cadillac classics... the Road to Pebble Beach starts in South carolina!

Save the Dates for upcoming NKF Cadillac Golf Classics:

August 29• , NKF Golf Cadillac Classic of the Upstate

will be held at The Carolina Country Club in Spartan-

burg, SC.

October 3• , 2011 NKF Cadillac Golf Classic of the Mid-

state will be held at The Members Club at Woodcreek in

Columbia, SC.

June 5, 2012• , NKF Cadillac Golf Classic of the

Lowcountry will be held at Cassique at The Kiawah

Island Club. For information on playing in any of the 3

South Carolina tournaments, please call 803.799.3870 or

email Samantha.Wood@kidney.org .

Thanks to Our Sponsors:

More than 300 people laced up their walking shoes on May 14 for the first Upstate Kidney Walk at Clemson University International Center for Automotive Research in Greenville, SC, presented locally by

Carolina Nephrology. Funds raised from the Upstate Kidney Walk will support patient programs and prevention initiatives for thousands in our state.

Spartanburg Nephrology

Hubbell Lighting

Nestle

California Dreaming

Father/daughter donors and recipients: (l-r) Horace Davis received a kidney from his daughter

Nicole. Steven Cothran also gave the gift of life to his daughter Olivia.

The Famous Golf Links at Pebble Beach Photo: Acey Harper

Winning teams from the NKF Cadillac Golf Classic tournaments will receive an invitation to play in the National Kidney

Foundation’s National Finals at Pebble Beach in January 2012. This once-in-a-lifetime opportunity is for the top three

qualifying local teams of the National Kidney Foundation Cadillac Golf Classic Tournament, the premier amateur

golf event for charity.

SUMMER 2011 3

On October 18, 2010, the NKF Cadillac Golf Classic of the Midstate raised

$75,000 to fight kidney disease in South Carolina. The tournament was

held at Musgove Mill Golf Club in Clinton, SC. Paul Mashburn, Hammond

Edwards, George McLaughlin and Jesse Smith belonged to the winning team with a

score of 57. Like all of our winning teams, this group was invited to the National Finals

at Pebble Beach this past January.

L-R: Winning team members Paul Mashburn, Hammond Edwards, George McLaughlin, and Jesse Smith.

After winning first place in the NKF Cadillac Golf Classic of the Upstate, John Caldwell, Al Campbell, Edgar Casner and Ray Shingler (L-R) from Spartanburg Regional Healthcare Systems, came in fourth at the National Finals at Pebble Beach in January.

Thanks to Our Sponsors:

golfers Raise $75,000 at the NKF cadillac golf classic of the Midstate at the Musgrove Mill golf club

Upstate golfers Place Fourth at the National Finals at Pebble Beach

4 NAtIoNAL KIDNEY FoUNDAtIoN SERVINg tHE cARoLINAS

Nearly 200 People Received a Free Screening for Kidney Disease on March 12 in Greenville

the 2010 Patient Empowerment Workshop Helped guide Patients and Families

More than 120 kidney patients and their family members

came from all over South Carolina for the 2010 Patient

Empowerment Workshop, “Unlocking Your Best Life.” The

workshop took place on November 11, 2010 at the Carolina First Center

in Greenville, SC.

Many of the presentations held throughout the day were in keeping

with the theme: Unlocking Your Best Life. Patients and caregivers received

information on making the best of dialysis treatments, exercise, healthy

eating and fistulas.

The 2011 Patient Empowerment Workshop, which will feature the theme

“A Day in the Life,” will be held in Charleston on October 25. For more

details, contact Henry Well at Henry.Well@kidney.org or 800.488.2277.

The National Kidney Foundation

partnered with Greenville Hospital System

and New Horizons’ Health Center to

promote a free NKF Kidney Early Evaluation

Program (KEEP®) on March 12th.

The result was a record turnout: 196

people at risk for kidney disease came to

the screening. People at risk for kidney

disease include those with diabetes, high

blood pressure, or a family history of these

conditions or kidney disease. They also

received information about kidney disease

and its risk factors and complications.

For more information on our KEEP

program, contact Henry Well by email:

Henry.Well@kidney.org or 800.488.2277.

“We are incredibly

fortunate to have such

wonderful volunteers.”

said Henry Well,

Division Program

Director. “Without

their hard work and

dedication, we could

never have achieved

this record-breaking

attendance.”

Each year the National Kidney Foundation Serving the Carolinas screens hundreds at risk for kidney disease. On average, 61% of those screeneed learn they have the early warning signs of kidney disease.

5SUMMER 2011

On March 19, more than 250 people

put on their shagging shoes for

the 4th Annual Spring Party.

Partygoers enjoyed tastings from a variety of

Columbia restaurants and shagged the night

away to the sounds of Legends of Beach with

Jackie Gore. Thank you to Representative

Dan Cooper, who served as the event’s

Honorary Chairman, as well as all of our

hosts.

More than 250 came to Dance the Night Away at the Spring Party, Raising $37,000

Blythewood Smoked Bar-B-QueBone FishBudweiser of ColumbiaCupcake

Pearlz Oyster BarRNDCThe Melting PotTio’s Mexican CafeZoe’s Kitchen

Progress Energy The Caskey Group of Merrill Lynch Budweiser of ColumbiaAce Glass Ed Robinson Laundry and Dry Cleaning Kelley, McCain, Smith & Owens, LLC

Capital Strategies Callison Tighe Parker Poe Boyd Management South Carolina Embroidery & Screening Printing First Citizens BankHay Hill Landscaping

Dr. James Lemon Chicago Title Insurance Company Columbia Development Companies

Thanks to these Columbia area restaurants that provided tastings from their menus:

Thanks to Our Sponsors

Thank you to our SponsorsPresenting Sponsor

John Ross, MD SC Nephrology and Hypertension M. Moustafa, M.D.

Team RMC joined together to walk in honor of their co-worker, Temeka Ward, who received a kidney transplant.

Orangeburg Walk (From page 1)

6 NAtIoNAL KIDNEY FoUNDAtIoN SERVINg tHE cARoLINAS

How NKF’s KEEP® Helped one Woman Learn About Her Kidney Health

Last fall, Angeline Huber

was taking her usual annual

vacation in Arizona to escape

the harsh cold of her native Wisconsin.

In October, she heard about an NKF

Kidney Early Evaluation Program

(KEEP) screening taking place nearby

and told her husband she wanted to

go. After all, Angeline had two of the

risk factors for chronic kidney disease (CKD): she was a longtime diabetic and she had a

brother who was on dialysis, so she had a family history of kidney disease.

Not knowing much about kidney health, she quickly learned at the KEEP that a

healthy GFR (glomerular filtration rate) level should be 60 or higher. However, her GFR

level turned out to be 35, well below the normal range. It was a big wake-up call for her.

The 75-year-old has since taken steps to protect her health. She asked her physician

to regularly monitor her kidney function, and she has switched over to a healthier, low-

fat, sugar-restricted diet with her husband George. She says the KEEP screening proved

to be helpful for him as well: “He found out he’s in very good health, except his waistline

is too big!” Angeline now advises friends to find out their GFR number and get their kidney health checked. KEEP screenings are offered free of charge across the U.S. for individuals at risk for CKD. To find out if you qualify for a screening near you, visit keeponline.org

A recent study revealed that a

majority of people with chronic

kidney disease (CKD) know little

about the risk factors and symptoms of

their condition—and the fact that it can

become fatal.

Over 400 people were surveyed in a

study at Vanderbilt University Medical Cen-

ter in Nashville, TN. All of the participants

were seeing a nephrologist at the time, with

75 percent at stage 3 CKD or above. This is

especially disturbing because if the disease

is detected early enough, patients can take

steps to slow the progression of CKD.

Unfortunately, even though 94 percent

reported knowing that they had a kidney

“problem,” only 30 percent knew that they

had a potentially life-threatening disease.

Participants also frequently had trouble

naming CKD symptoms, and nearly 80 per-

cent were unaware that the condition could

advance without any symptoms.

One of the study’s co-authors, Dr. Julie

Anne Wright, says, “This study highlights the

need for providers to ensure that communi-

cation is not only delivered but understood

between all parties involved.”

Indeed, most interventions designed to

prevent or delay the progression of CKD rely

on the patient’s self-care. Anyone with high

blood pressure, diabetes or a family history

of these conditions or kidney disease is at

increased risk and should get their kidney

function checked regularly.

“Once diagnosed, people can take

action to prevent the disease from get-

ting worse,” reports Joseph Vassalotti, MD,

National Kidney Foundation (NKF) Chief

Medical Officer. “They can work with the

clinician to control diabetes and high blood

pressure, as well as avoid medications that

are toxic to the kidneys.”

NKF has long known that one of the

biggest challenges in fighting CKD is raising

awareness. On top of public awareness and

patient education efforts, NKF also provides

free Kidney Health Risk Assessments and

Kidney Early Evaluation Program (KEEP®)

screenings across the U.S. See above to learn

how KEEP helped one person in particu-

lar help discover and reverse her declining

kidney health.

Study: cKD Patients Don’t Know they Are in Danger

I N T R O D U C I N G

NKF Cares, NKF’s new toll-

free patient help line, offers

support for people affected

by kidney disease, organ

donation or transplantation.

It is dedicated to patients,

family members and

caregivers. You will speak

with a social worker who will

help answer your questions

and listen to your concerns.

855.NKF.CARES (855.653.2273)

SUMMER 2011 7

1. What do you think are some of the

biggest challenges and opportunities

facing NKF today?

Our biggest challenge is our biggest

opportunity. NKF changed the practice of

medicine with the KDOQI guidelines in a

number of ways, but most notably by pro-

viding a common nomenclature for CKD.

Now we need to take the next step. We

have to figure out who we haven’t reached

yet with the message about the importance

of screening and adjust our strategy.

2. Both NKF’s mission and your past

statements have emphasized the im-

portance of early detection. How can

nephrologists contribute to prevention

efforts?

Over the last few years published

data has proven the limited awareness of

patients with CKD regarding their own dis-

ease and consistent findings from USRDS

show that only about half of patients

starting dialysis have seen a nephrologist

beforehand. I have become increasingly

aware of the selection bias that goes into

who makes it to a nephrologist’s office.

First, patients have to see a doctor, then

take lab tests for kidney disease, have the

tests interpreted correctly, get a referral to a

nephrologist, and finally, keep the appoint-

ment. I would love for all nephrologists to

consider this for a moment and motivate

themselves to reach out into the commu-

nity in ways that they haven’t

before. They can participate in

educational programs for the

general public and for those

providers who give referrals,

volunteer at a KEEP® or start the

dialogue with colleagues about when and

how to refer in order to make a big differ-

ence on a local level.

3. You have also expressed a desire to

bring primary care practitioners more

into the mix. Why is this important, and

how do you see this happening?

Primary care physicians are essential to

the health of our nation. They have now

and will continue to take care of the over-

whelming majority of Americans seeking

healthcare. For a variety of reasons, which

include the epidemic of CKD and our own

workforce issues in nephrology, we need

to establish ourselves (i.e., nephrologists)

as resources for primary care physicians.

We need to give them easy-to-apply tools,

smooth communication plans and path-

ways for referral without cracks for patients

to fall into. We in nephrology live to protect

the kidneys, but primary care physicians

are charged with every other organ system,

care of the acute infection, care of depres-

sion, screening for cancers and the list

goes on. Arming our “frontline” in the

attack on kidney disease well will be our

strongest weapon.

4. For those people out there who

don’t have much access to healthcare,

what would you suggest they can do to

improve their own health and well-

being?

Robert Foley recently published an ar-

ticle in Kidney International. In his study, he

had a computer pick from a large number

of people what factors best predicted how

long they would be on this earth. Age was

the leading factor. Cholesterol was also on

the list. But it came in at only 11. Kidney

function, however, came in at second (right

behind age) and fourth place. Protein in

the urine is more powerful than almost

everything else (including cholesterol) in

determining your lifespan. So for those of

you reading this who are especially inter-

ested in health and well-being, rip this out,

print this off and take it to your doctor. And

demand to pee in the cup!

5. Anything else you’d like to add?

(Involved nephrologists staying in-

volved) + (recruiting every other nephrolo-

gist to join our ranks) + (every American

peeing in the cup) = WINNING!

5 Questions with Lynda Szczech, MD, NKF’s President

In October 2010, Lynda Szczech, MD, MSCE, FASN, became Presi-

dent of the National Kidney Foundation. She is also currently As-

sociate Professor of Medicine at Duke University Medical Center

in the Division of Nephrology. She earned her undergraduate degree

from Pennsylvania State University, her medical degree from Jefferson

Medical College and her graduate degree in clinical epidemiology

from the University of Pennsylvania. In addition to her professional

expertise, she is also known for her unconventional sense of humor!

National Kidney Foundation, Serving the Carolinas 508 Hampton Street, Suite 200 Columbia, SC 29210 803.799.3870

of South Carolina1-800-488-CARS

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