Charity Spotlight: National Kidney Foundation

Donate to National Kidney Foundation for Give to Remember December.

Where did the inspiration for the National Kidney Foundation come from?

The National Kidney Foundation was founded by several members of the professional kidney community, and two dedicated parents who lost their son to kidney disease. At the time, there were limited resources and understanding on the management of kidney disease. Throughout the 1950s, the Foundation's main focus was supporting patients and their families by raising awareness about the dangers of kidney disease and by developing and distributing information to the public.

What is the mission of the National Kidney Foundation?

The Mission of the National Kidney Foundation is to prevent kidney and urinary tract diseases, improve the health and well-being of individuals and families affected by these diseases, and increase the availability of all organs for transplantation.

In what ways does National Kidney Foundation directly accomplish its mission?

The National Kidney Foundation has three goals: awareness, prevention and treatment.

We reach out to those who are at risk to educate them about healthy lifestyle choices that can help prevent kidney disease. We also work with primary care providers to make sure they aware of the early signs of kidney disease and treatment and management options to help prevent disease progression. In addition the National Kidney Foundation supports clinical research and publishes peer-reviewed journals.

What do you hope will be National Kidney Foundation's legacy?

The incidence of kidney disease is on the rise, but so is our response to it. We are meeting this challenge by increasing public awareness, supporting patients and families, educating professionals, and speaking out in government. We’ll continue to play a leading role in supporting the kidney population by providing critical services and programs. Simultaneously, we’ll promote early diagnosis through creating new innovative partnerships and collaborations within the healthcare system, educational institutions and laboratories to change the way CKD is understood and treated.

Why should people support Giving Tuesday (and charitable giving in general)?

Kidney disease is a manageable illness. Advances in treatment, diagnosis and preventative education continue to save lives every day. These breakthroughs have been made possible by the generous donations of our supporters. We can’t win the fight against kidney disease without the help of others.

National Kidney Foundation is participating in Legacy.com's Give to Remember project. Throughout the month of December, Legacy will match up to $50,000 in donations made across the entire event. Donate now and maximize your positive impact.