| Ronald D. Paul Companies Kidney Walk in Prince George’s County Raises Funds and Awareness |
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| Health Archive | |||
| By Michele Anthony | |||
| Thursday, May 07, 2009 | |||
 Kidney Walk volunteers Courtesy PhotoNearly 500 supporters joined the National Kidney Foundation Serving the National Capital Area (NKF/NCA) on Sunday, April 19 at the Inaugural Ronald D. Paul Companies Kidney Walk at the Mall at Prince George’s. To date, Walk participants have raised close to $25,000 and fundraising efforts will continue through May 19. Once fundraising closes, the Ronald D. Paul Companies will match, dollar for dollar, all funds raised by walkers which will bring to total to over $50,000 to fight kidney disease in our community. “We are thrilled at the great turnout and support for the Kidney Walk. This cause is vitally important in our community where there are nearly 6,000 patients on dialysis including 2,000 in Prince George’s County alone. Diabetes and high blood pressure – the leading causes of kidney disease – are extremely high in the county, accounting for the majority of new kidney patients,” according to nephrologist Jeffrey A. Perlmutter, MD, Co-Chair of the Kidney Walk, and Past Board Chair of the National Kidney Foundation Serving the National Capital Area. A welcome surprise was the participation of Congresswoman Donna Edwards, a Democrat representing Maryland’s 4tDistrict, which comprises portions of Prince George’s and Montgomery County. Rep. Edwards pledged her support for the cause and served as the impromptu Grand Marshall sending walkers off with enthusiastic words of encouragement. Many of the Walk participants were kidney disease patients, individuals on dialysis or those who have received transplants. The crowd also consisted of living donors and donor families in addition to other supporters of the NKF/NCA. Testimonies were given by a variety of people who have been affected by kidney disease including Honorary Co-Chair Reed Doughty of the Washington Redskins, whose son was born with kidney failure and received a transplant last year; Honorary Co-Chair City of Hyattsville Mayor Bill Gardiner, who donated a kidney to his cousin in the summer of 2008; and Walk Co-Chair Quandra Lee, a two-time kidney transplant recipient. The Washington, DC area leads the nation in the prevalence of kidney disease with more than 700,000 people affected and more than 1,600 waiting for kidney transplants. The National Kidney Foundation is working to combat this problem with its Kidney Early Evaluation Program (KEEP), public awareness, physician’s education, and organ donation awareness programs in our community.  Congresswoman Donna EdwardsCourtesy PhotoTo learn more about kidney disease prevention and organ donation, please visit www.kidneywdc.org or call 202-244- 7900.
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