Nearly one in 10 Michigan adults has chronic kidney disease, but most don’t know.
Often linked to diabetes and high blood pressure, early detection and treatment can keep chronic kidney disease from getting worse.
On March 8, the University of Michigan Health System will host a World Kidney Day event, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., that includes free kidney, blood pressure and depression screenings, plus prize raffles and patient care information. The event will be held at the University of Michigan Hospitals and Health Centers, 1500 E. Medical Center Drive, in the Towsley Conference Center.
Celebrated worldwide, World Kidney Day offers a crucial, visible opportunity to inform and educate health policymakers, people who are at highest risk of CKD, and the general public that kidney disease is common, harmful and treatable.
Worldwide, more than 1.5 million people are currently kept alive through dialysis or transplantation and the number is forecasted to double within the next 10 years. However, a simple way to prevent these issues is to tackle the problem at the source and systematically screen people diagnosed with diabetes or hypertension with simple and inexpensive urine tests.
“Many people are currently not aware that their kidneys are damaged and they might find out too late. The need for dialysis or transplantation can be avoided if kidney diseases are detected early,” says Eric Mullen, administrator of the Division of Nephrology at the U-M Health System.
U-M kidney specialists are working with the U-M Division of Transplantation, the National Kidney Foundation of Michigan and other community partners to host the WKD event.
Who should come: Anyone can get chronic kidney disease at any age, but some people are more likely than others to develop kidney disease. You have an increased risk of kidney disease if you:
Online: www.worldkidneyday.org
