30 | ASN Kidney News | May 2009

ASN News

ASN Participates in World Kidney Day 2009 World Kidney Day (celebrat- hard landing in fiscal year 2011 that Additional World Kidney Day cel- ed every year on the second might stall discovery and innovation. ebrations around the world included: Thursday of March) is a ASN members also highlighted the • The launch of the Rediscovering global campaign focused on need for additional basic and clinical Food & Flavours Cookbook by publicizing the importance research on the relationship between renowned TV chef Lawrence Keogh, of kidney health and reduc- kidney disease and diabetes, hyperten- from BBC One’s Saturday Kitchen ing the frequency and impact sion, and obesity, and urged continued and Roast restaurant in London’s of kidney disease and its as- support to maintain the pipeline of Borough Market (developed in con- sociated health problems. investigators dedicated to studying the junction with Shire). This year, ASN member disease. • A lecture at Benhah University in physicians urged their mem- Advocates also discussed the impor- Benhah, Egypt, on how to prevent bers of Congress to expand tance of addressing health-care dispari- and screen a high-risk population coverage of life-saving medi- ties in future legislation. Armed with for CKD; how to prevent and man- cations needed to reduce the disconcerting statistics, ASN members age high blood pressure; and the Online likelihood of organ rejection educated their representatives on the role of environmental pollutants, a among transplant recipients. disparate health outcomes among their cause of CKD in the region. information Patient advocates explained African American and Hispanic pa- • An educational symposium held by ASN President Thomas Coffman and that Medicare coverage for tients compared to Caucasian patients. the Japan Association of Chronic available in April! actor Vincent Curatola. immunosuppressive drugs The evening before World Kidney Kidney Disease Initiative and The expires after 36 months even Day, more than 200 guests joined the Kidney Foundation, Japan. www.asn-online.org though they must take the co-chairs of the Congressional Kidney • A presentation and recipe con- drugs for their entire lives if they are Caucus, Reps. Mark Kirk (R-IL) and test to encourage healthy, kidney- to reduce the risk of rejection. The Jim McDermott (D-WA), as well as friendly meals in Vancouver, British immunosuppressive drug protocol is Reps. Shelley Berkley (D-NV), Steve Columbia. significantly cheaper than the alterna- • A cultural event in Nagpur, India, Kagen (D-WI), Gene Green (D-TX), tive. The drugs cost $11,000 per year, with songs, dance, drama, and and special celebrity guests Vince Cu- while Medicare must pay $81,000 per more, with dialysis technicians and 14th Annual ratola of HBO’s The Sopranos and the patient for graft failure and $71,000 nurses providing some of the enter- Washington Redskins’ Reed Doughty, per year for dialysis. Participants asked tainment. to celebrate the launch of World Kid- their senators and representatives to • In Yangon, Myanmar, a 20-minute ney Day with a congressional recep- support bills introduced in both cham- television broadcast on CKD. Board Review In honor of World Kidney Day bers of Congress to amend title XVIII tion. • A march with the public, local 2009, more than 20 ASN mem- of the Social Security Act to provide On Friday, March 13, ASN members celebrities, health leaders, and pro- bers and staff and dozens of pa- continued entitlement in coverage for encouraged support for kidney disease fessionals to promote World Kidney research at the National Institute of Course & Update Itients and representatives from the these drugs. Day in Casablanca, Morocco. National Kidney Foundation, Dialysis ASN members also encouraged sup- Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney • A bicycle ride by three nephrologists Patient Citizens, and the American port for robust research funding via the Diseases, the National Heart, Lung, in Cardiff, U.K., to raise money for Society of Pediatric Nephrology vis- National Institutes of Health (NIH). and Blood Institute, and the National dialysis centers. ited more than 100 congressional of- While appreciative of the $10 billion Institute on Aging. ASN representa- August 29–September 4, 2009 fices on March 12 to urge sustained increase provided to NIH under the tives discussed with NIH officials the For more information on how you can funding for kidney disease research economic stimulus package, ASN ad- importance of interdisciplinary trials participate in ASN advocacy, please con- and greater support for programs that vocates reminded their representatives and of improving communication re- tact ASN Director of Policy and Public The Palace Hotel | San Francisco, California improve treatment outcomes for pa- that increases over the newly estab- garding the use of the $10 billion stim- Affairs Paul Smedberg at (202) 416-0646 tients suffering from kidney disease. lished base are essential to prevent a ulus funding. or [email protected].

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