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National Kidney Foundation of Maryland                                                         March 2012
In this Issue
B'More Healthy Expo
2012 Kidney Walks
Kidney Walk T-Shirt Contest
KEY Screenings
Rappel for Kidney Health
2012 Leadership Breakfast
Advocacy
Casual for Kidneys

 Upcoming Events

March 25 - Salisbury Walk Kickoff Breakfast

March 27 - Southern Delaware Walk Kickoff Celebration

March 29 - Western Maryland Kickoff Celebration

April 15 - Southern Delaware Walk at Cape Henlopen State Park

April 28 - KEY Screening

May 2 - KEY Screening

May 5 - KEY Screening

May 6 - Baltimore Walk at The Maryland Zoo

May 6 - Salisbury Walk at Winter Place Park

May 9 to 13 - Spring Clinical Meetings

May 20 - Western Maryland Walk at Greenbrier State Park

May 21 - KEY Screening

June 9 - Rappel for Kidney Health

June 9 - KEY Screening

June 30 - KEY Screening

July 28 - KEY Screening

September 11 - Liberty Mutual Invitational Golf Tournament

September 13 - KEY Screening

September 22 - KEY Screening

September 29 - Western Maryland Kidney Bike Ride

October 6 - KEY Screening

October 27 - KEY Screening

November 10 - Sant�: Spoil Your Palate
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Greetings!

March is National Kidney Month!  It's a time in which we bring attention to the growing incidence of kidney and urinary tract disease often secondary to common conditions like diabetes and hypertension.  It reminds us of the importance of routine health maintenance exams to know our blood pressure, glucose, and creatinine levels and take steps to prevent chronic kidney disease.  It also challenges all of us to consider organ donation at a time when we're not immediately faced with making such an emotional decision.  It may even call us to think of someone else's needs above our own.

 

How are you going to celebrate National Kidney Month?

 

Sincerely,

Matt Cooper, MD

 

Associate Professor of Surgery, Division of Transplantation, Director of Clinical Research, University of Maryland School of Medicine

National Kidney Foundation of Maryland Board of Directors

B'More Healthy Expo

March 17th from 10AM to 5PM  

 

 

The National Kidney Foundation of Maryland will hold a Kidney Health Risk Assessment (KHRA) at the B'More Healthy Expo at the Convention Center in Baltimore on March 17th, 2012. The KHRA is a public awareness tool where the physical measurements and a brief questionnaire help participants become aware of their risk factors for kidney disease. We will be taking physical measurements, such as height, weight, blood pressure, and BMI. Physicians and nurses will be on hand to help answer questions. Click here for more information. 

 

2012 Kidney Walks

 

 

The National Kidney Foundation of Maryland's Kidney Walks present an occasion for dialysis patients, organ transplant recipients, donor families, living donors, the medical communities, and the general public to celebrate LIFE and support NKF-MD's mission. Here is some walk-specific information:

 

April 15, 2012, Cape Henlopen State Park, Lewes, DE - Comprised of a 3.2 mile trail that winds through a beautiful pine forest near the Atlantic Ocean, take advantage of the chance to camp the night before the walk or enjoy a full day soaking up the sun on six miles of white sandy beaches.  Explore terrain, fish, observe the osprey, or climb the Great Dune 80 feet above sea level. Pets are welcome at the park and special doggie treats are available when you give a $5.00 registration doggie donation.  Don't worry we'll have plenty of non-Scooby snacks on hand thanks to generous donations by Pepsi, Food Lion, Wawa, and Surf Bagel for the human participants.

 

May 6, 2012, The Maryland Zoo, Baltimore - Back at the Waterfowl Pavilion following the walk, participants can mingle with the following zoo animals: Flemish Giant Rabbit, Harris' Hawk and African Penguin. Additional activities include face painting, as well as rock climbing and touring a digital camouflage Humvee - both provided by the Maryland National Guard.

 

May 6, 2012, Winter Place Park, Salisbury, MD - Winterplace Park is a picturesque community park with a fantastic walking trail through wooded acres.  Explore the serene peace of the Eastern Shore while helping others.  For this woodsy trek, walkers can choose between a 1.5 or 3 mile walk. The site of the walk was formerly the Winter Place Farm, the most opulent horse farm in the country. Many thanks to those who keep our walkers fueled:  Pepsi, Food Lion, Wawa, Panera Bread, and Giant.

 

May 20, 2012, Greenbrier State Park, Boonsboro, MD - After walking through this majestic park and Appalachian trail, feel free to meander through a variety of wildlife habitats and afford a view of the area's geological history. There will be face painting, a magician and the opportunity to rub elbows with Keyote from the Frederick Keys Baseball team.   

 

Click here for more information about the Kidney Walks! 

 

Kidney Walk T-Shirt Contest

Southern Delaware, Baltimore, Salisbury, and Western Maryland Will Hold Contest at Walks
Bertha in Stride 

 

All teams are invited to submit an entry for the 2012 Kidney Walk Team T-shirt Contest. We encourage all companies and teams to create your own "signature" t-shirts promoting your business or team.  The key to this contest is tie in a kidney connection whether it is in your team name or the design on the t-shirt.  To be eligible, a sample t-shirt must be turned before the start of the Walk and will be judged by the Walk Committee.  The winning team t-shirt design will be announced on-stage immediately following the end of the Walk.  This t-shirt contest is a great way to make your teams more visible during the Walk!   

 

Kidneys: Evaluate Yours
Free Kidney Health Screenings

 

 

The National Kidney Foundation of Maryland continues its mission of early detection and early intervention through free KEY (Kidneys: Evaluate Yours) health screenings. KEY screenings, held throughout our service area, identify early markers for high blood pressure, diabetes and kidney disease. Click here  to view our 2012 schedule and for more information.  Please check back for updates as we add more dates and locations!   

 

Rappel for Kidney Health

How Much More Extreme Can You Get?
Marriott Large 

 

Do you want to make an impact on kidney disease in an extraordinary way? Join the National Kidney Foundation of Maryland for our 3rd annual event on Saturday, June 9, 2012 for the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to rappel down the Baltimore Marriott Waterfront, 700 Aliceanna St., Baltimore, MD 21202.  This opportunity is available to anyone wanting to give back and get a rush of adrenaline. Participants will undergo a training session on event day, receive their own fundraising Web page, and get photographed while in action. Proceeds will benefit NKF-MD's patient services, education, and research efforts. For more information, visit us here or contact Kelly Meltzer at [email protected].  

 

2012 Leadership Breakfast
Successful Team Recruitment for the Baltimore Walk

Leadership Breakfast DLA Piper 

 

On March 6th, DLA Piper hosted the 2012 Leadership Breakfast for the Baltimore Walk.  It was as successful event aimed to recruit new companies to form walk teams.  As a result, American Access Care,  CareFirst, Cassidy Turley, Chesapeake Urology Associates, Franklin Square Hospital Medical Center, Johns Hopkins Nephrology, Northrop Grumman, OmecaCor Technologies, Susquehanna Bank, Stevenson University and WJZ-13 took action and committed to forming walk teams for the Baltimore Walk.  Participants who attended the breakfast left motivated to organize their walk team and have a better understanding of the National Kidney Foundation of Maryland. 

 

Advocacy

Continuing Immunosuppressive Drug Coverage for Transplant Patients 
 

 

Please join us in helping kidney patients who have received, or hope to receive, a transplanted kidney. Click here to read all about an important piece of legislation currently being discussed in Congress. If you want to help, fill out the online form and hit the "TAKE ACTION" button in the lower right.   

 

Casual for Kidneys
Dress Down and Stand Up Against Kidney Disease!

 

We're inviting you and your workplace to take part in our Casual for Kidneys day to benefit the National Kidney Foundation of Maryland. It's easy! Your company simply picks a date that all employees come to work in their favorite relaxed attire. On that day, everyone can enjoy a casual day at work while contributing to an incredible cause. By making a donation, each participant will receive a sticker, which will explain the absence of the usual dress, suit or uniform to your customers or clients. This sticker also helps to raise awareness about kidney health while reinforcing good will and strong group morale. Sounds like an all-around win-win situation! Whether your company decides to make it t-shirt and jeans, sports-themed, or just a bit less formal than usual, this serves as the perfect opportunity to build a more comfortable environment as well as making a crucial statement recognizing the magnitude of supporting the fight against chronic kidney diseases. You are the best judge on what participants would be willing to contribute, but we generally recommend a donation of $5 per employee.  Please contact Christie Vera at [email protected] for more information and to sign up your company!