Policy & Public Affairs

World Kidney Day 2009

View photo slideshow of WKD Congressional Reception

Arm Yourself with Talking Points: ASN Fact Sheets

• ASN's 2009 Legislative Asks
• ASN's Research Requests
• Kidney Disease and its Impact on Patients, Families, and Taxpayers
• Kidney Disease and Heart Disease: the Entangled Epidemics
• About ASN

Serve as a Kidney Disease Advocate

Even if you cannot participate in ASN's World Kidney Day activities in Washington, DC, please join the Society's advocacy efforts by contacting your members of Congress to urge them to support programs of importance to the renal community. Send a letter today at ASN's Legislative Action Center.

Spread the Word about World Kidney Day and Kidney Disease

In addition to spending the day in meetings on Capitol Hill, ASN members participated in targeted radio interviews to increase awareness of kidney disease as a growing public health threat. ASN also publicized its activities via press release as well as editorials in the Society’s renowned journals.

• Kidney Groups Rally for World Kidney Day: ASN Members and Kidney
• Disease Patients Advocate for Sustained Research Funding, Programs that Improve Patient Care
• Szczech LA, Harmon W, Hostetter, TH, Klotman PE, Powe, NR, Sedor, JR,
• Smedberg P, Himmelfarb J. World Kidney Day 2009: Problems and Challenges in the Emerging Epidemic of Kidney Disease. J Am Soc Nephrol 20: 453-455, 2009.
• Okusa MD, Chertow GM, Portilla D. The Nexus of Acute Kidney Injury,
• Chronic Kidney Disease, and World Kidney Day 2009. Clin J Am Soc Nephrol, 2009.

World Kidney Day Events: Wednesday, March 11, and Thursday, March 12, 2009

Wednesday, March 11

ASN, the National Kidney Foundation (NKF), Dialysis Patient Citizens (DPC), and Kidney Care Partners (KCP) celebrated the launch of World Kidney Day Wednesday, March 11, with members of Congress and their staff as well as special guests Vince Curatola of HBO’s The Sopranos and Washington Redskins' Reed Doughty.

Thursday, March 12

In the morning, ASN leadership participated in radio interviews to publicize the importance of kidney disease awareness. Afterwards, ASN members ascended the Hill to meet with members of Congress and their staff to advocate for programs that benefit the kidney community.