TAMPA, Fla. April 15, 2004 – The American Association of Kidney Patients (AAKP) is making final preparations for its 31^st Annual Convention to be held Sept. 2-5, at the Sheraton Bal Harbour Beach Resort in Bal Harbour, Fla. The city of Bal Harbour is conveniently located halfway between Ft. Lauderdale and Miami.

Titled, “Improving Quality: Patients Shaping the Future,” this Convention promises to be informative and entertaining with topics for chronic kidney disease (CKD), dialysis and kidney transplant patients.

With an average attendance of more than 500 people, AAKP’s Annual Convention is the largest gathering of kidney patients and family members in the United States. AAKP strongly believes in the importance of education and self-care for all patients. As such, AAKP strives to include educational tracks at its Convention for patients at all stages of kidney disease.

“AAKP has already secured highly respected speakers on a multitude of timely patient care topics for this year’s Convention. We are planning three days of excellent educational sessions to help patients understand their healthcare choices and empower them with the knowledge to lead full and healthy lives with kidney disease,” said Kris Robinson, executive director of AAKP.

Convention attendees can expect to hear presentations on important and current subjects that affect today’s kidney patients. Understanding the patient-doctor relationship, knowing your dialysis options, managing reduced kidney function, considering transplantation and public policy issues, such as patient advocacy, are just a few of the topics to be presented.

In addition to the educational sessions, AAKP’s Convention offers a number of social events where attendees have the opportunity to celebrate life and share experiences with fellow kidney patients from across the country.

Registration fees for the three-day event are $95 for patients and family members and $150 for professionals. The Convention package includes all educational sessions, two continental breakfasts, two dinners and one full breakfast.

Full details, including the Convention agenda, registration form and dialysis arrangements, will be available in the Convention brochure to be sent in May. AAKP members will receive a Convention brochure in the mail. Non-members may also request the brochure and join the AAKP Convention mailing list by calling the AAKP National Office.

Hotel reservations can be made by calling the Sheraton Bal Harbour Beach Resort at (800) 999-9898. To receive the preferred rate of $110 per night, please identify yourself as an AAKP Convention attendee.

For more information on the Annual Convention, please call the National Office at (800) 749-2257, send an e-mail by clicking here or click here. For specific information regarding exhibit, advertisement or sponsorship opportunities, contact Amy Norman at (800) 749-2257 or at anorman@aakp.org.

AAKP is the voluntary, patient organization, which for 35 years, has been dedicated to improving the lives of fellow kidney patients and their families by helping them deal with the physical, emotional and social impact of kidney disease. The programs offered by AAKP inform and inspire patients and their families to better understand their condition, adjust more readily to their circumstances and assume more normal, productive lives in their communities.