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The latest in kidney research, care, and treatment.
Episodes
17 minutes ago
17 minutes ago
Did you know that patient registries play a vital role in improving kidney disease treatment and outcomes? In this episode, we’re diving into the KidneyCARE Study—a patient registry that uses real-world data to better care for people with kidney disease.
We sat down with experts as they explained what a patient registry is and why people with kidney disease may want to join the KidneyCARE Study. In today's episode we heard from:
Kerry K. Willis PhD- Dr Willis is the Chief Scientific Officer of the National Kidney Foundation (NKF). Since joining NKF in 1998, her major focus has been on the analysis and application of clinical evidence to improve care and outcomes for people living with kidney disease. She oversees all NKF-sponsored research and professional education programs, including the Spring Clinical Meetings; population health programs that facilitate health system and practice engagement around CKD as a quality improvement target; the Kidney Disease Outcomes Quality Initiative (KDOQI) clinical practice guidelines; KDOQI quality measurement initiative; and four peer-reviewed journals devoted to chronic kidney disease. She led the development of and currently manages the Kidney CARE (Community Access to Research Equity) Study, the first national CKD patient registry to combine patient-reported data with clinical data from electronic health records.
Rachel Claudin, BS, CCLS- Rachel Claudin is the Patient-Centered Research Director at the National Kidney Foundation (NKF). Her main work for the past three years has been focused on the advancement of the KidneyCARE Study. As a person living with Lupus Nephritis, she is excited for the patient-entered data collected by the Study to increase and improve kidney care research. Previous to the NKF, Rachel worked in hospital and hospice settings advocating for patients utilizing the shared decision-making model of healthcare.
Cari Maxwell- Cari has lived with Polycystic Kidney Disease (ADPKD) since 1989, and her personal experience, along with the experiences of her father and two siblings, fuels her advocacy for advancements in PKD treatment. She participated in the Tolvaptan Reprise trial, which led to the first-ever FDA-approved treatment for ADPKD—a treatment she continues to benefit from today. As a member of the NKF Kidney Advocacy Committee, Cari is passionate about promoting patient education, early detection, and scientific progress through patient-centered clinical research. She is dedicated to ensuring that others have access to life-changing treatments and are empowered to advocate for their health through proactive care. Cari currently works in health care cost containment strategies, where she applies her expertise to enhance patient access and outcomes.
Sandy Gilbert PhD- Sandy Gilbert is the Senior Director of Patient Outcomes Research at the National Kidney Foundation (NKF), where she manages the KidneyCARE (Community Access to Research Equity)™ Study. Since joining NKF in 2024, her focus has been on developing and overseeing this pioneering national kidney disease patient registry, the first to integrate patient-reported data with clinical data from electronic health records. The goal of the Registry is to generate critical insights into disease progression, treatment outcomes, and health disparities, in support of NKF’s mission to improve kidney health and drive innovation in kidney research and healthcare. Sandy works closely with teams of researchers and health system partners to expand the study’s reach and ensure that it reflects the needs of diverse patient populations, including those from underserved communities.
Additional Resources:
Contact Information:
Call: 212.889.2210 ext.134 M-F 10am-4pm CT
Email: kidneycarestudy@kidney.org
Do you have comments, questions, or suggestions? Email us at NKFpodcast@kidney.org. Also, make sure to rate and review us wherever you listen to podcasts.
Friday Mar 14, 2025
Friday Mar 14, 2025
Most people who go to in center hemodialysis require lifestyle adjustments to help them get the most out of their treatment while enjoying life. In this episode of Hot Topics in Kidney Health, we visit a hemodialysis center to hear from patients and professionals about what it's like to live on dialysis. In today's episode we heard from:
Michelle Massey, PCT
Cassandra Watkins, Hemodialysis patient
Reginald Gramling, Hemodialysis patient
Gurley Benson, Charge Nurse at dialysis center
Ebony McKinley, Dialysis social worker
Belinda Benbow, Dialysis Facility Administrator
William Henderson, Regional Vice President of Operations for the Capital Division for U.S. Renal Care
Additional Resources:
Do you have comments, questions, or suggestions? Email us at NKFpodcast@kidney.org. Also, make sure to rate and review us wherever you listen to podcasts.
Friday Feb 28, 2025
Friday Feb 28, 2025
There's a common misconception that people on home dialysis can't have pets. But that's just a myth. Professor Cameron Wolfe, a transplant infectious disease specialist at Duke University, along with Keith Plummer, a transplant recipient with home hemodialysis experience, and Brittany Dickerson, an in center hemodialysis patient with experience in peritoneal dialysis are here to share how you can safely manage treatments while living with pets.
Professor Cameron Wolfe is a Transplant Infectious Disease specialist at Duke University. He was a previous Chair of the Disease Transmission Advisory Committee (DTAC), working with the federal transplant administration to ensure safe and successful transplantation in the US. Cameron is the current secretary of the Infectious Disease section of The Transplantation Society, an international society representing transplant professionals and patients globally. His research focusses on safe transplantation for patients and donors living with HIV and hepatitis, and managing respiratory viruses and emerging pathogens.
Keith Plummer was diagnosed with kidney cancer in 2010, coming out of surgery with one kidney functioning at 20 percent. Thanks to a great Nephrologist and a lot of hard work, he was able to hold off dialysis for close to a decade. Keith was on home hemodialysis for 4 years before receiving a transplant 1.5 years ago.
Keith first got involved with advocacy about 6 years ago as he lobbied for the TRSA, making many visits to the state capitol to fight for industry and employees. Over his time on dialysis, Keith have moved from part time to being fully retired which has given more time to advocate. He is an advocate for the DPC and has participated in the last four fly-ins in Washington DC. He has been advocating with the NKF for the past 2 years and look forward to helping kidney patients in New York and across America.
Brittany Dickerson is a dedicated mother, motivational speaker, and compassionate life coach living with Polycystic Kidney Disease (PKD). She uses her kidney failure battle to educate and help others regarding kidney disease and transplantation. Through partnership with the National Kidney Foundation, Brittany has had the opportunity to mentor others and to be a guest for the National Kidney Foundation Podcast channel. Her dedication to kidney awareness has led her to pursue becoming a National Kidney Foundation Advocate. Brittany uses her voice to spread a powerful message of perseverance and hope. Brittany's goal is to continue making an impact on individuals facing adversity, offering guidance, support, and being a shining example of strength in the face of hardship.
Additional Resources:
Do you have comments, questions, or suggestions? Email us at NKFpodcast@kidney.org. Also, make sure to rate and review us wherever you listen to podcasts.
Friday Feb 07, 2025
Friday Feb 07, 2025
In today’s episode, we're finishing up our series on kidney failure treatment options with a discussion on conservative care. What exactly is conservative care and who can benefit from it?
Christine Corbett, Associate Chief Nursing Officer and nurse practitioner specializing in palliative care is here to answer that question and more. Sara Hicklin and Bobbie Reed who have firsthand experience with conservative care in their families are also here to share their perspectives on this treatment option.
Christine Corbett, DNP, APRN, FNP-BC, CNN-NP, FNKF is the newly appointed Assistant Research Professor at George Washington University and Executive Director for the Coalition for Supportive Care of Kidney Patients. She is a practicing Nurse Practitioner specializing in kidney palliative care, and a Trauma-Sensitive HeartMath Certified Practitioner. Dr. Corbett has over 25 years of nephrology experience and four years of experience in Palliative Care. Her doctoral focus was shared decision-making, advance care planning and appropriate palliative care referral for select patients with chronic kidney disease. In the past four years she developed, implemented, and managed the Comprehensive Conservative Kidney Care Clinic for patients who choose to forego dialysis at an academic safety net hospital in Kansas City.
Bobbie Reed is on a mission for her son and for the millions of others living with chronic kidney disease. A graduate of Indiana University of Pennsylvania with a Bachelor of Family Consumer Science degree, Bobbie is the office manager at her family's insurance business. She wants to pay it forward by helping others with their struggles in dealing with kidney disease. As part of the NKF’s Kidney Advocacy Committee, Bobbie is not only the Pennsylvania Liaison, but is the immediate past Region 2 leader for the group. She continues to help her son navigate his kidney disease journey and, in addition, use her experience to benefit and advocate for many others afflicted with kidney disease.
Sara Hicklin and her family has a genetic kidney disease called Polycystic Kidney Disease or PKD. With this family and personal history, Sara is passionate about educating others about kidney disease, along with recruiting and educating potential organ donors. She is also fascinated by the advances in treatment options in three generations and wants to contribute in a small way to what may become available for treatment of kidney disease in generations to come.
Additional Resources
The Patient Will See You Now by Eric Topol
Definitions from the episode:
- Durable Power of Attorney (DPOA)
- Portable Medical Orders (POLST): https://polst.org/
Do you have comments, questions, or suggestions? Email us at NKFpodcast@kidney.org. Also, make sure to rate and review us wherever you listen to podcasts.
Friday Jan 24, 2025
Friday Jan 24, 2025
High phosphorus (hyperphosphatemia) is a common complication caused by chronic kidney disease. Join us for this NKF Live to learn more about why this happens and how to successfully manage high phosphorus in CKD. During this program, you will hear a kidney doctor, a clinical pharmacist, and a person living with high phosphorus discuss important information to know about when managing high phosphorus.
Dr. Jay Wish is Professor of Clinical Medicine at Indiana University School of Medicine in Indianapolis and Chief Medical Officer for Outpatient Dialysis at Indiana University Health. He is past president of the National Forum of ESRD Networks, served on the Board of Directors of the Renal Physicians Association and the American Association of Kidney Patients and was the recipient of the latter’s Visionary Award in 2005. He has over 150 articles, reviews, and book chapters published, particularly in the areas of ESRD quality oversight/improvement, accountability, anemia management and vascular access.
Dr. Katie Cardone is an associate professor at Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences in Albany, NY. She is a clinical pharmacist with a clinical practice and research program focused on improving care in patients with kidney disease in outpatient nephrology and dialysis. She co-led the publication of pharmacy practice standards for pharmacists caring for people with kidney disease. She is a member of the Board of Pharmacy Specialties Ambulatory Care Pharmacy Council and is a fellow of the National Kidney Foundation, the American Society of Nephrology, and the American College of Clinical Pharmacy.
Quenton Turner Gee has been on in-center hemodialysis for about 2 years. He was diagnosed with Stage 4 CKD in 2020. After a battle with COVID-19, it quickly progressed to end-stage kidney disease. Since starting on dialysis, he’s been advocating for mental health and policies improving access to transplants and kidney innovations.
Additional Resources:
Do you have comments, questions, or suggestions? Email us at NKFpodcast@kidney.org. Also, make sure to rate and review us wherever you listen to podcasts.
Friday Jan 10, 2025
Friday Jan 10, 2025
Nearly 90,000 people are waiting for a kidney transplant but there are not enough kidneys to meet this need. Altruistic kidney donors, or those who give anonymously, are relatively rare, but their numbers are growing and their impact is profound. Today we hear from one such remarkable individual, Daniel Emerson, Digital Marketing Director of National Kidney Foundation, who chose to give the gift of life to a stranger.
Dan Emerson is the Director of Digital Marketing at the National Kidney Foundation. Starting in 2018, he has worked to engage with the kidney community and provide them with resources and information to support them on their health journey. In June of 2024, Dan donated his kidney to an anonymous recipient through a non-directed donation. He lives in upstate New York with his husband and son.
Additional Resources:
Becoming a Living Donor (Kidney Learning Center)
Do you have comments, questions, or suggestions? Email us at NKFpodcast@kidney.org. Also, make sure to rate and review us wherever you listen to podcasts.
Thursday Dec 19, 2024
Thursday Dec 19, 2024
Cannabis or marijuana is becoming increasingly more popular in the United States for recreational and medical use. What is cannabis? Are there benefits to using it? Is it ok for someone with kidney disease or dialysis to use it? Learn all this and more in today’s episode.
Joshua Rein, DO, FASN, is a board-certified nephrologist, kidney physiologist, and certified hypertension specialist. He is an Assistant Professor in the Barbara T. Murphy Division of Nephrology in the Department of Medicine at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in NYC and a Staff Physician at the James J. Peters, Veterans Affairs Medical Center. He received his medical degree from the New York College of Osteopathic Medicine, completed internal medicine at Mount Sinai Beth Israel, and completed clinical and research nephrology fellowships at Mount Sinai Hospital.
Dr. Rein is interested in the effects of cannabis and cannabinoids on kidney health and disease given their widespread growing popularity despite an uncertain impact on health. Dr. Rein’s research, funded by a Veterans Affairs Career Development Award, utilizes preclinical animal models to characterize the kidney endocannabinoid system and examine the physiological impact of cannabinoids on the regulation of fluid and electrolyte balance by the kidney. His clinical research focuses on the risks, benefits, and clinical significance of cannabis consumption among people with kidney disease and those at risk for developing kidney disease.
Additional Resources:
Nephrologist's Guide to Cannabis
Do you have comments, questions, or suggestions? Email us at NKFpodcast@kidney.org. Also, make sure to rate and review us wherever you listen to podcasts.
Wednesday Dec 04, 2024
Wednesday Dec 04, 2024
Because of medical advances, kidney failure is no longer a death sentence. Today, those with kidney failure have treatment options like dialysis and kidney transplantation. Unfortunately, many aren't aware that home hemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis treatments are available. What is peritoneal dialysis and who can benefit from it? Today, Brittney Dickerson, dialysis patient, and Jennie Wilson, Davita's regional director of home dialysis in New York City, are here to break it down.
Jennie Wilson, MSN, RN has been working in Home Dialysis for over a decade and currently oversees several centers in the New York Metro Area that provide training and care to home dialysis patients. Her interest in population health and healthy equity has led to her passion for educating patients on their dialysis modality options. She has partnered with the National Kidney Foundation on various projects to share the clinical and lifestyle benefits of home dialysis.
Brittany Dickerson- I am a dedicated mother, motivational speaker, and compassionate life coach living with Polycystic Kidney Disease (PKD). I use my kidney failure battle to educate and help others regarding kidney disease and transplantation. My personal journey has fueled my passion for helping others navigate life's challenges with courage and grace. Through partnership with the National Kidney Foundation, I have had the opportunity to mentor others and to be a guest for the National Kidney Foundation Podcast channel. My dedication to kidney awareness has led me to pursue becoming a National Kidney Foundation Advocate. I use my voice to spread my powerful message of perseverance and hope. My goal is to continue making an impact on individuals facing adversity, offering guidance, support, and being a shining example of strength in the face of hardship.
Do you have comments, questions, or suggestions? Email us at NKFpodcast@kidney.org. Also, make sure to rate and review us wherever you listen to podcasts.
Friday Nov 15, 2024
Friday Nov 15, 2024
Holidays can be difficult for individuals with CKD. Tune in to gain insight into the patient holiday experience and how professional teams can provide education for patients to ensure the best holiday outcomes.
In this reposted holiday episode we spoke with:
Dori Muench, LCSW, CCTSW, FNKF
Osama El Shamy, MD
Jesse Engelken, MPH, RDN, LD,CD
Joyce Vergili, EdD, RD, CSR, CDN
Malenia Alvarez, kidney patient
Nupur Gupta, MD
Elizabeth Shanaman, RD, CD, FAND
Candria Denzmore, patient advocate
Do you have comments, questions, or suggestions? Email us at NKFpodcast@kidney.org. Also, make sure to rate and review us wherever you listen to podcasts.
Friday Nov 08, 2024
Friday Nov 08, 2024
Getting a kidney transplant before starting dialysis or with little time spent on dialysis is a preferred form of kidney failure treatment. Despite that, preemptive kidney transplants are under-utilized. In today’s episode Daniella Duke, a preemptive transplant recipient, and Bethany Cruz, an Outreach Coordinator discuss this and more.
Bethany Cruz has over a decade of experience in kidney transplant education and is a dedicated outreach coordinator at the Houston Methodist J.C. Walter Jr. Transplant Center in Houston, Texas. Specializing in preemptive and living donor kidney transplant education, Bethany is passionate about improving access to living donation for all patients in need of a kidney transplant. Through her work, Bethany strives to raise awareness to make a meaningful impact in the lives of those affected by kidney disease.
Daniella Duke is a chronic kidney disease patient, since childhood. Her disease became more active in her 20s, and she received a living-donor kidney transplant in 2000. In 2021, she received her second kidney transplant from a deceased donor. Both of these transplants were pre-emptive, and Daniella has never been on dialysis. She is grateful for having been the recipient of two kidney transplants and advocates for chronic kidney disease patients to receive the care they need. In addition, Daniella is a physician, specializing in medical and surgical dermatology, has a master’s in public health, and is the proud mother of twins, Andy and Juli. Dr. Duke has navigated both her professional and personal life, blending the experiences, knowledge, and perspectives of both a physician and a chronic kidney disease/transplant patient. She deeply empathizes with the issues, concerns, and medical challenges that kidney disease patients face on a day-to-day basis.
Do you have comments, questions, or suggestions? Email us at NKFpodcast@kidney.org. Also, make sure to rate and review us wherever you listen to podcasts.
Thursday Oct 17, 2024
Thursday Oct 17, 2024
Voting is a powerful way to influence the policies that impact your life. By participating in elections and advocating for change, you can help shape the future. Dr. Jesse Roach, NKF’s Senior Vice President of Government Relations, and Lauren Drew, NKF's Congressional Relations Director, explain why your vote matters and how to get involved.
Dr. Jesse Roach is a strategist and clinician whose work focuses on improving access to kidney health by removing barriers to care through policy, partnerships, and research. He is currently the Senior Vice President for Government Relations at the National Kidney Foundation (NKF), where he leads the NKF’s advocacy efforts. Dr. Roach received his medical degree and completed a residency in Internal Medicine and Pediatrics at the Medical University of South Carolina. He completed a combined fellowship in pediatric and adult nephrology at the University of Michigan Medical School. He resides in Washington, DC.
Lauren Drew is the Director of Congressional Relations at NKF, and formerly worked at the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization and on Capitol Hill. She's original from New Jersey and an alumna of the George Washington University and the Villanova School of Law.
Do you have comments, questions, or suggestions? Email us at NKFpodcast@kidney.org. Also, make sure to rate and review us wherever you listen to podcasts.
Monday Sep 23, 2024
Monday Sep 23, 2024
Natural disasters like earthquakes, floods, or electrical power blackouts can disrupt crucial healthcare services, like dialysis treatment. The good news? You can prepare for emergencies. Kidney Community Emergency Response Project Director Keely Lenoir is here to tell you how.
Keely Lenoir, BS, currently serves as the Kidney Community Emergency Response (KCER) Program Manager, providing technical assistance and support related to emergency management to ESRD Networks, providers, patients, and other stakeholders. Keely has over 15 years of experience in the field of healthcare emergency management, including over eight years with the Florida Department of Health, Hillsborough County, Office of Public Health Preparedness, where she served as the Special Needs Shelter Program Coordinator.
Do you have comments, questions, or suggestions? Email us at NKFpodcast@kidney.org. Also, make sure to rate and review us wherever you listen to podcasts.
Tuesday Sep 10, 2024
Tuesday Sep 10, 2024
Today, those with kidney failure have multiple treatment options like dialysis and kidney transplants; however, many aren't aware of treatments like home hemodialysis. What is home hemodialysis, and who could benefit from it? Learn all that and more on today's episode.
Jennie Wilson, MSN, RN has been working in Home Dialysis for over a decade and currently oversees several centers in the New York Metro Area that provide training and care to home dialysis patients. Her interest in population health and healthy equity has led to her passion for educating patients on their dialysis modality options. She has partnered with the National Kidney Foundation on various projects to share the clinical and lifestyle benefits of home dialysis.
Bell Maddux was first diagnosed with MPGN when she was fifteen years old. She went through college, got married and started her career before she became eligible for transplant. She was fortunate to receive a living donation from her father without having to be on dialysis. Then, after 10 years with her father’s kidney, Bell started in-center dialysis, and switched to home-hemodialysis in 2021. Bell is optimistically awaiting “the call” for a deceased donor, but in the meantime, she stays busy with her husband raising their two children, 7 and 12. She is a Peer Mentor and Patient Advocate with the National Kidney Foundation and has an 18-year career as a digital producer for a NY advertising agency.
Additional Resources:
Do you have comments, questions, or suggestions? Email us at NKFpodcast@kidney.org. Also, make sure to rate and review us wherever you listen to podcasts.
Friday Aug 16, 2024
Friday Aug 16, 2024
Living with chronic kidney disease can feel like learning a new language. There are many tests, and the results may leave you scratching your head. Today, Andrew Thompson, a physician's assistant specializing in nephrology, is here to help you decode your lab values and navigate your kidney health.
Andy Thompson is a nephrology physician assistant. He earned his bachelor’s degree at Olivet Nazarene University in Bourbonnais, Illinois, and master’s degree in physician assistant sciences at the University of Saint Francis in Fort Wayne, Indiana. He has been practicing nephrology for about 7 years in south-central Indiana. In his spare time, he enjoys reading/listening to audio books, going for walks, and spending time with his wife and children and dog.
Do you have comments, questions, or suggestions? Email us at NKFpodcast@kidney.org. Also, make sure to rate and review us wherever you listen to podcasts.
Wednesday Jul 31, 2024
Wednesday Jul 31, 2024
On today's special episode of Hot Topics and Kidney Health we're sharing audio from a recent webinar hosted by National Kidney Foundation on kidney xenotransplantation. Stay tuned to hear from the experts and learn about the latest updates on animal-to-human transplantation.
Dr. Tatsuo Kawai is a professor of surgery at Harvard Medical School and the A. Benedict Cosimi Chair in Transplant Surgery at Massachusetts General Hospital. He is also director of the Legorreta Center for Clinical Transplantation Tolerance. He was awarded the Martin Research Prize at MGH in 2009 and the New Key Opinion Leader Award by the Transplantation Society in 2010 for this work. In the field of xenotransplantation, he has collaborated extensively with eGenesis over the past five years, achieving over two years of survival for genetically edited kidney xenografts in nonhuman primates, which was published in Nature in 2023. In March 2024, he successfully performed the world first kidney xenotransplantation from the pig with 69 genomic edits in a living patient with end stage renal disease.
Vineeta Kumar MD, FAST, FASN is the lead nephrologist for the Living Kidney Donor and Incompatible Kidney Transplant programs at the University of Alabama in Birmingham. She is an expert in kidney transplantation, living kidney donation, incompatible kidney transplant, kidney paired donation and cardiovascular outcomes after kidney transplantation.
Peter Reese, MD, PhD, is an NIH-funded transplant nephrologist and epidemiologist. His research focuses on: a) developing effective strategies to increase access to solid organ transplantation; b) improving the process of selecting and caring for living kidney donors; c) determining outcomes of health policies on vulnerable populations with renal disease, including the elderly; d) testing strategies to improve important health behaviors such as medication adherence; and e) transplant ethics. He was a recipient of a Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers, was elected member of the American Society of Clinical Investigation, and was a Greenwall Faculty Scholar in bioethics. He is a past chair of the Ethics Committee for the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS), which oversees organ allocation and transplant regulation in the US, and is an Associate Editor for the American Journal of Kidney Diseases. He co-led the THINKER, USHER, MYTHIC, and SHELTER trials involving transplanting HCV-infected donor organs into uninfected recipients. His work has been generously funded by foundations and the NIH, including a K-24 to support mentoring.
Do you have comments, questions, or suggestions? Email us at NKFpodcast@kidney.org. Also, make sure to rate and review us wherever you listen to podcasts.