On Monday, June 6, 2011, 50 kidney disease patients and renal physicians joined forces to raise awareness about access to quality care to Congressional leaders on Capitol Hill. Patients vounteers with AAKP partnered with physicians with the Renal Physician Association (RPA) and met with several Congressional staff members from their home states to promote agenda items important to the safety and well-being of kidney patients. 
On Tuesdau, May 31, Rachel Garneau made a dream come true. The 20-year old college junior donated her left kidney to a stranger. Typically, this kind of donation is made to save the life of a loved one - a brother or sister, suffering from kidney failure. But Garneau's four siblings are fine. She doesn't know anyone who needs a kidney. She just wanted to donate hers.
"I honestly don't remember what got me into this at all," she said. "I first starting thinking about this three years ago, when I was 17. I've never known anybody who had kidney problems, I never knew anybody who had serious medical issues. One day, I started thinking about it, doing the research ... a few hours later, I went downstairs I told my parents I wanted to donate my kidney."
A study published online in the journal Pediatric Transplantation has found that among children and young adults under 21 years of age starting dialysis, girls were 22 percent less likely than boys to be placed on the waiting list for a new organ.
