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The latest in kidney research, care, and treatment.
Episodes
Tuesday Jun 17, 2025
Tuesday Jun 17, 2025
Potassium is an essential mineral, but it is important to make sure you have the right amount. Tune in and hear from experts on how high potassium (hyperkalemia) can impact health and it’s risk in people with advanced chronic kidney disease.
In this episode we heard from:
Briana Douglas is currently a Peer Mentor for the National Kidney Foundation. At 17 yrs old, she was diagnosed with Lupus Nephritis. She was then diagnosed with end stage 5 kidney disease, in 2016, and immediately had to start dialysis. After starting hemo dialysis, she remained on treatment for 7 years, experiencing home hemo, peritoneal, nocturnal and in center-hemo dialysis. In 2024, she received a kidney transplant and is now living really well with her new transplant. She also takes pride in being a peer Mentor for NKF to help others with similar experiences.
Dr. Pascale Khairallah, MD, MS, is an Assistant Professor of Medicine in the Division of Nephrology at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF). She specializes in chronic kidney disease and kidney transplantation. Dr. Khairallah has been recognized with multiple awards for excellence in patient care and teaching. She has multiple publications in the field of chronic kidney disease mineral and bone disorders and kidney transplant outcomes.
Annabel Biruete is an Assistant Professor and Registered Dietitian in the Department of Nutrition Science at Purdue University and an Affiliate in the Division of Nephrology at the Indiana University School of Medicine. Her broad clinical interest is nutrition in kidney diseases. Her research aims to study the effects of nutritional and pharmacological therapies for chronic kidney disease on the gastrointestinal tract and gut microbiome. Additionally, she is interested in improving outcomes in the Hispanic/Latine community living with chronic kidney disease, primarily through language- and culturally-concordant interventions.
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.
Thursday Jun 12, 2025
Thursday Jun 12, 2025
What does feeling truly seen and supported mean in your health care? For many LGBTQIA+ people with kidney disease, the answer isn’t simple. Jess Walters is a mixed-media artist, Board Certified Patient Advocate, and independent scholar living with a kidney transplant. Marissa is the Patient Programs Director at the National Kidney Foundation (NKF) and a social worker working to make kidney care more inclusive. Together, they share what supportive care and community look like and why they matter.
In today's episode we heard from:
Jess Walters (they/them) is a mixed-media artist, Board Certified Patient Advocate (BCPA), and independent scholar from Charlottesville, Virginia. They are a multiply-neurodivergent, queer, nonbinary person with Alport syndrome, a rare genetic disorder which caused late-onset deafness and kidney failure at age 29. In 2018, after undergoing two months of peritoneal dialysis, Walters received a kidney transplant from a living donor at the University of Virginia, where they currently serve as an inaugural FusionLab Arts Research Fellow at the Center for Health Humanities and Ethics in the School of Medicine. Their research focuses on the intersections of art and health, navigating accommodations in cultural arts spaces to promote individual and community wellbeing by including disabled, neurodivergent, and chronically ill participation and perspectives. They regularly participate in Kidney Patient Summits with the National Kidney Foundation and have served as a member of their Diversity & Health Equity Advisory Committee for 4 years.
Marissa Argentina, LMSW is a licensed social worker who has been in the field of nephrology since 2010. She has worked for the National Kidney Foundation since 2015 and has been working on the NKF Peers program 2017. She is currently the Patient Programs Director at the National Kidney Foundation. She had previously worked as a dialysis center social worker in the Bronx, NY.
Additional Resources:
The Impact of Unequal Care for LGBTQ+ Kidney Patients
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 May 28, 2025
Wednesday May 28, 2025
In a time when the hope of surviving kidney failure was rare, one family refused to give up. Pulitzer prize winning journalist, Maura Casey recounts her sister's fight for life in the 1960s and the legacy of hope it left behind.
In today's episode we heard from:
Maura Casey grew up in an Irish-American family in Buffalo, New York, the youngest of six children. For more than 30 years, Casey was an opinion writer for three New England newspapers and The New York Times, where she had a seat on the exalted Times editorial board. Over the course of her career, Casey won 45 state, regional and national awards for her writing. She and her husband Pete have two adult children and two grandchildren. They live on a small Connecticut farm with their two dogs and a barn cat. Casey writes a weekly column, Casey’s Catch, and when the breeze is right, she coasts on Long Island Sound in her sailboat, Second Wind. “Saving Ellen” (Skyhorse Publishing, April 1, 2025) is her first book.
Additional Resources:
Saving Ellen; A Memoir of Hope and Recovery
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 May 16, 2025
Friday May 16, 2025
Care partners—whether family, friends, or close loved ones—are the quiet champions who help manage medications, attend appointments, offer emotional support, and walk beside patients every step of the way. But what does that look like day-to-day? And how can care partners find the support they need, too?
In today's episode we heard from:
Ruthie Eastman is a former massage therapist and office administrator. She is passionate about health and exercise and rides her three-wheel assisted tricycle regularly. She is a new NKF Peer Mentor for Care Partners.
Jim Eastman has experienced two life-changing issues where Ruthie provided the role of Care Partner. A traumatic brain injury in 1990 established a basis and need for care for Jim. While bumpy in the beginning, we worked it out in couple’s therapy. When CKD entered our lives, the patient/care partner dynamic had been experienced. Three years of PD and eight years post-transplant, Ruthie continues to be a Care Partner extraordinaire!
Michelle Rowlett, MSW, LICSW is a dedicated nephrology social worker with 25 years of healthcare experience, including 16 years in kidney care. She currently serves as Social Work Supervisor and CKD Program Lead at Puget Sound Kidney Centers, supporting patients and families through chronic kidney disease, dialysis, and major life transitions.
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.
Tuesday Apr 29, 2025
Tuesday Apr 29, 2025
In celebration of Donate Life month, we are sharing a special crossover episode from NKF’s Life as a Nephrology Professional podcast. Tune in and hear from three living kidney donors as they discuss the power of living donation and kidney advocacy.
Host: Anna Gaddy, MD, FASN, FNKF
Guests: Lauren Drew, JD, Beth Burbridge
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.
Wednesday Mar 26, 2025
Wednesday Mar 26, 2025
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.