AAKP received hundreds of entries from patients across the country sharing personal, triumphant stories of living with kidney disease. Three winners were selected. They are:
It is estimated 26 million Americans have chronic kidney disease (CKD), more than 300,000 of which receive dialysis treatment. AAKP hopes to raise awareness about kidney disease and demonstrate that those who require dialysis do more in life than dialyze. AAKP wants to inspire kidney disease patients to take an active role in their healthcare.
AAKP Says I Can! winners will be featured on posters in dialysis units, transplant centers and doctors’ offices across the country. Posters of the inspirational patients are available free of charge. Please order copies of the posters by calling AAKP at (800) 749-AAKP and encourage your doctor or dialysis unit to display them. Winners also receive a free 2008 AAKP Convention registration and complimentary lodging at the official Convention hotel, Grand Hyatt Washington, in Washington, D.C.
“These are amazing individuals,” stated AAKP President Roberta Wager, RN, MSN. “It was difficult to choose just three. And I am happy the decision was tough because it tells me kidney disease patients are taking charge of their healthcare and are active participants in their community.”
For more information about the AAKP Says I Can! campaign, visit the “Educational Programs & Events” section of the AAKP Web site. You’ll also be able to read the winning essays.
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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.
