Tampa, Fla. Jan. 11, 2007 -- It is with great pleasure the American Association of Kidney Patients (AAKP) announces Robert S. Fennell, III, MD, as the 2007 recipient of the Medal of Excellence Award. The AAKP Medal of Excellence Award recognizes a renal physician who has dedicated his or her career to the advancement and treatment of kidney disease.

Dr. Fennell is Professor and Chief of the Pediatric Nephrology Division of the University of Florida, College of Medicine. He founded the Children’s Chronic Kidney Failure Center at Shands Hospital at the University of Florida and has served as its Medical Director since its inception in 1975.  For more than 30 years, he has distinguished himself as a pediatric renal physician who takes a keen interest in patient care, better quality of life for all kidney disease patients and scholastic productivity.

“Dr. Fennell has spent the last three decades showing young kidney patients and their loved ones that they can have a productive life with kidney disease,” said AAKP President Donald Dowe, MSW. “Because of his hard work, countless number of patients are living rewarding lives - which is the mission of AAKP.”

Dr. Fennell’s distinguished career also includes serving on the National Kidney Foundation (NKF) of Florida Medical Advisory Board, the United Network of Organ Sharing (UNOS) Pediatric Committee and the UNOS Patient Affairs Committee as well as authoring more than 100 peer-reviewed publications in medical journals.

His papers on neurocognitive defects in chronic kidney disease patients are considered the definitive work in this area and his additional research has led to advances in the areas of pediatric nephrology and post transplant infections.

“It takes a great deal of patience and dedication to work with children who have end-stage renal disease. It can also be emotionally draining,” said Vikas R. Dharnidharka, MD, Associate Professor, University of Florida, who nominated Dr. Fennell for the Medal of Excellence Award.  “Yet Dr. Fennell diligently carried out this task over a long period of time and has built a large base of grateful patients.”

Dr. Fennell’s service to the renal community reaches beyond the University community and Hospital.

He served as President of the Florida Society of Pediatric Nephrology (1993-1994) and as a Diplomat for the American Board of Pediatrics. He is a member of the Southern Society for Pediatric Research, the Transplantation Society and the Florida State Medical Society. He is also listed as one of the Best Doctors in America.

AAKP will honor Dr. Fennell at its Medal of Excellence Award Dinner on Sunday, March 11, 2007, in Baltimore. The award ceremony is being held in conjunction with the Renal Physicians Association’s Annual Meeting. For more information about the Medal of Excellence Award and ticket prices contact Diana Clynes, Program Coordinator, at dclynes@aakp.org or call 800-749-AAKP. Dinner tickets may also be purchased online at www.aakp.org.

Past award recipients include: H. Keith Johnson, MD, of Dialysis Clinic, Inc. (2006); John H. Sadler, MD, of Independent Dialysis Foundation (2005); Morrell M. Avram, MD, of Long Island College Hospital, Brooklyn, N.Y. (2004);Belding H. Scribner, MD, of University of Washington School of Medicine & Willem J. Kolff, MD, of University of Utah School of Medicine (2003); George E. Schreiner, MD, of Georgetown University (2002); Garabed Eknoyan, MD, of Baylor College of Medicine, Houston & Nathan Levin, MD, of Renal Research Institute, New York (2001); Christopher Blagg, MD, of the Northwest Kidney Center (2000); John Bower, MD, of University of Mississippi Medical Center & Renal Physicians Association (1999); A. Peter Lundin, MD, of State University of New York, Health Science Center at Brooklyn (1998); Clive O. Callender, MD, of Howard University Hospital, Washington, D.C. (1997); and Eli A. Friedman, MD, of State University of New York, Health Science Center, Brooklyn (1996).