Tampa, Fla., September 5, 2008 – The American Association of Kidney Patients (AAKP) welcomed the new members of its 2008 – 2009 National Board of Directors during the 35th Annual AAKP Convention, held Aug. 28 – Aug. 31 in Washington, D.C. AAKP is a national non-profit kidney organization directed by patients for patients focused on giving patients the tools necessary to be the leader of their healthcare team.

The AAKP National Board of Directors is responsible for establishing goals and policies for the Association. In addition, Board members are responsible for attending three meetings per year, participation in conference calls and committee membership. In keeping with the bylaws of the Association, more than 50 percent of the National Board of Directors must be comprised of kidney disease patients including chronic kidney disease (CKD), dialysis patients and transplant recipients. The president must also be a patient.

The new members of the AAKP Board of Directors are Brady Augustine (Florida); Mansi Mehta, RD, LDN (Illinois) and Cheryl Thaxton-Roache, ARNP-C (Florida). These new members were seated at the 2008 Annual Convention and will serve two-year terms.

“We are so pleased to have these outstanding individuals serving on our Board of Directors,” stated AAKP President Roberta Wager, RN, MSN. “Their experience in the renal community will certainly be invaluable to the Board and kidney patients of all modalities.”

The 2008-2009 officers include: Roberta Wager, RN, MSN, President, transplant recipient (Texas); Stephen Z. Fadem, MD, FACP, FASN, Vice President, (Texas); Carolyn G. Price, Vice President, transplant recipient (Mississippi); Kelly M. Mayo, MS, Treasurer (Florida); Amy Friedman, MD, FACS, Secretary, daughter of transplant recipient (New York).

The remainder of the Board include: Renee Bova-Collis, MSW, LCSW, (Virginia); Richard S. Goldman, MD, (New Mexico); Mary Heisick, MSW, transplant recipient (California); Alice McCall, RN, transplant recipient (Virginia); Robert Miller, MD, FAAP, FCCP (New Mexico); Sam Pederson, transplant recipient (Washington); Thomas Peters, MD, FACS, FASN (Florida); Laurie Shore, MSW, LCSW (Florida); Joseph D. White, transplant recipient (Maryland); Jay Wish, MD (Ohio); and Yalemzewd Woredekal, MD, home hemodialysis (New York).

For more information about the AAKP Board of Directors, call (800) 749-AAKP or visit the AAKP Web site.

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AAKP is the voluntary, patient organization, which for more than 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.