Kidney Action Day Takes Aim at Silent Killer in Chicago's South and West Sides

CHICAGO, May 10, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- A celebrity chef presentation, free food samples and free health screenings are on tap for the American Kidney Fund's (AKF) Kidney Action Day in Chicago, May 12, from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Kidney Action Day, free and open to the public, will be held at Trinity United Church of Christ, 400 W. 95th Street, and will feature health screenings, entertainment, fitness demonstrations, and healthy cooking demonstrations by celebrity Chicago Chef Judson Todd Allen and Trinity UCC's Immabasi Health and Wellness Ministry.

"Partnering with local communities to promote the importance of early screening, education, and prevention methods is a critical part of the American Kidney Fund's mission, especially in the Chicago metropolitan area where rates of kidney disease are above the national average," said LaVarne A. Burton, president and CEO of the American Kidney Fund. "We're expecting hundreds of Chicagoans to join us at Kidney Action Day to arm themselves with the tools they need to fight against kidney disease."

Kidney Action Day is part of the American Kidney Fund's national campaign, Pair Up: Join the Fight to Prevent Kidney Disease. Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is the nation's eighth leading cause of death, and it is estimated that as many as 31 million people in the U.S. are living with the disease. Diabetes is the number one cause of kidney failure, followed by high blood pressure. Together these conditions account for more than 70% of all cases of kidney disease. Many of Chicago's minority communities in the South and West Sides are "red zones," areas where kidney failure rates are more than twice the national average and three times higher than in the rest of the city.

"Kidney disease is a serious condition that often does not present symptoms until it's too late; however, most cases are preventable," said Burton. "That's why events like Kidney Action Day, which promote prevention and early detection, are so important to at risk communities."  

Among the speakers at Kidney Action Day will be Joyce Steele, who donated a kidney two years ago to her brother, Cook County Commissioner Robert Steele. Also speaking at the event will be State Representative Monique Davis.

The mission of the American Kidney Fund is to fight kidney disease through direct financial support to patients in need, education and prevention efforts. In 2011, AKF provided nearly $190 million in treatment-related financial assistance to more than 90,000 dialysis patients nationwide. In Chicago alone, AKF assisted more than 1,200 patients and provided more than $2 million in financial assistance.

Kidney Action Day will take place at Trinity United Church of Christ, 400 W. 95th St., Chicago on Saturday, May 12, 2012 from 11 a.m. until 3:00 p.m. For more information, visit www.kidneyfund.org.

SOURCE American Kidney Fund

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