TAMPA, Fla. September 3, 2004 – The American Association of Kidney Patients (AAKP) recently elected its 2004-2005 Board of Directors. The new members began serving a two-year term as of Sept. 2.

In keeping with the by-laws of the Association, more than 50 percent of the AAKP Board is comprised of patients. Our patient Board members represent hemodialysis patients, transplant recipients and those with chronic kidney disease (CKD).

The 2004-2005 officers include Brenda Dyson, president, transplant (Mississippi); Donald Dowe, MSW, LCSW, vice-president, transplant (Florida); Stephen Z. Fadem, MD, FACP, vice-president, chronic kidney disease (Texas); Marc Reid, CPA, treasurer, (Florida) and Bonny Wilburn, secretary, hemodialysis (Texas).

The remainder of the Board consists of Jess Arceneaux, transplant (Florida); Vera Coleman-Foreman, hemodialysis (Texas); Ellie Durrett, home hemodialysis (Tennessee); Amy L. Friedman, MD (Connecticut); Edward Gray, MSW, MS (Florida); Mary Heisick, MSW, transplant (California); Kelly M. Mayo, MS (Florida); Mark Meier, MSW, LICSW (Minnesota); Carl Nettleton, hemodialysis (Louisiana); William Peckham, home hemodialysis (Washington); Sam Pederson, transplant (Washington); Thomas Peters, MD (Florida); Roberta Wager, MS, RN, transplant (Texas) and Judy Weintraub, MS, home hemodialysis (California).

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.