During National Kidney Month, let’s rally together as Michiganders to empower ourselves with knowledge about kidney health. With over a million adults in Michigan affected by chronic kidney disease, awareness is key.

By understanding our risk factors and taking proactive steps, we can safeguard our kidneys, ensuring they continue to serve as the body’s vital chemical factories. Let’s not wait for symptoms to appear; let’s take charge of our health and make informed choices.

Visit the our Kidney Disease page to equip yourself with the information needed to protect your kidneys and live a healthier life. Together, we can make a difference in kidney health across our state. Happy Kidney Month!

Quick Links

Click LEARN MORE in the boxes below for more information on Kidney Month!

Events and Happenings

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Programs

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Resources

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Facts about Kidney Disease

Events and Happenings

Health Fairs:

Date: 3/9/24
Event: Health Fair
Location: Greater Grace Temple
Address: 23500 W. 7 Mile Rd.,
Detroit, MI 48219
Time: 11am-2pm

Date: 3/10/24
Event: Kidney Sunday
Location: Fellowship Chapel
Address: 7707 W Outer Dr.,
Detroit, MI 48235
Time: 12-2pm

Date: 3/14/24
Event: World Kidney Day Kidney Screening
Location: Henry Ford Hospital
Address: 2799 W. Grand Blvd.,
Detroit, MI
Time: 10am-2pm

Date: 3/14/24
Event: World Kidney Day Health Fair
Location: John D. Dingell VA Medical Center
Address: 4646 John R St.,
Detroit, MI 48201
Time: 11am-2pm

Date: 3/14/24
Event: World Kidney Day
Location: Centro Multicultural La Familia
Address: 35 W Huron St.,
Pontiac, MI 48342
Time: 2-6pm

Date: 3/16/24
Event: Black Family Wellness Expo
Location: Second Ebenezer Church
Address: 14601 Dequindre St.,
Detroit, MI 48212
Time: 10am-1pm

Date: 3/17/24
Event: Kidney Sunday
Location: New Hope Missionary Baptist Church
Address: 23455 W 9 Mile Rd.,
Southfield, MI 48033
Time: 1-3pm

Date: 03/21/2024
Event: Health Fair
Location: Palabra de Vida Lutheran Church
Address: 1721 Springwells St.,
Detroit MI 48208
Time: 11am-12:30pm

Date: 3/23/24
Event: Health and Wellness Expo
Location: Flint Farmers Market
Address: 300 W. 1st St.,
Flint, MI 48502
Time: 9am-1pm

Others:

The Big Ask, The Big Give: Finding a Living Donor Workshop
Date: 3/7/24
Location: Zoom – click here to register.
Time: 6-8pm
Transplant Center Partner: Michigan Medicine

14th Annual Kountz – Callender – Drew Transplant Symposium
Date: 3/13/24
Location: In-person and virtual event – Ascension St. John Hospital – Detroit
Time: 8am-4:30pm

Discussion on Chronic Kidney Disease: A General Overview and Risk Factors
Date: Thursday, March 14
Location: Zoom Webinar – click here to register.
Time: 12-1pm

Discussion on Screening for CKD & NKFM Programs and Services
Date: Thursday, April 4
Location: Zoom Webinar – click here to register.
Time: 12-1pm

 

Programs

Kidney PATH

Kidney Personal Action Toward Health (Kidney-PATH) is an 8-week workshop for participants who are in various stages of Chronic Kidney Disease.

Kidney Disease Support Group

Join us to share and discuss the issues, challenges, and triumphs faced by others like you.

Diabetes Prevention Program

Diabetes Prevention Program logo

If you’re at risk of type 2 diabetes, the DPP's small group setting, along with a trained and passionate coach, helps you make sustained, healthy lifestyle changes.

Resources

The NKFM would love you to share the celebration of World Kidney Day and National Kidney Month with your friends and family. Please feel free to use any of the infographics or messages on your social media channels and don’t forget to tag @KidneyMI or use the hashtags: #KidneyMonth, #WKD, or #WorldKidneyDay.

NKFM Fact Sheets and Resources

Are you in the 33% Toolkit for Kidney Month

6 Ways Kidneys Can Keep You Healthy

Chronic Kidney Disease Fact Sheet

Diabetes and CKD

Basic CKD Infographic

Chronic Pain + CKD

Chronic Pain + CKD – Spanish

 

NKFM Social Media Accounts:

Facebook: facebook.com/KidneyMI

YouTube: youtube.com/KidneyMI

Instagram: instagram.com/KidneyMI

Twitter: twitter.com/KidneyMI

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/kidneymi

 

External Resources

National Kidney Foundation Press Release

World Kidney Day website

NIDDK Kidney Month website

Facts

10 Things Your Kidneys Do:

  • Filter 200 liters of blood a day, removing two liters of toxins, wastes and water
  • Regulate the body’s hydration and water balance
  • Regulate blood pressure by controlling fluid levels and making the hormone that causes blood vessels to constrict
  • Support healthy bones and tissues by producing the active form of Vitamin D
  • Produce the hormone that stimulates bone marrow to manufacture red blood cells
  • Keep blood minerals in balance
  • Keep electrolytes in balance
  • Regulate blood acid levels
  • Remove certain drugs from the blood
  • Eliminate excess water-soluble vitamins

Statistics:

  • 37 million American adults (age 20+) have chronic kidney disease.
  • More than a million Michigan adults (age 20+) have chronic kidney disease.
  • 1 in 3 American adults is at risk for kidney disease.
  • In Michigan, African Americans make up only 14 percent of the general population, yet make up 45 percent of the dialysis population, and 46 percent of the kidney transplant waiting list.
  • As the incidence of obesity in children increases, so does the rate of type 2 diabetes, which is a leading cause of kidney failure. One in three kids born in 2000 will develop diabetes.
  • 2,048 people were waiting for a lifesaving kidney transplant in Michigan on March 1, 2024.

Detection and Prevention:

  • Many adults with chronic kidney disease do not even know it – there are little or no symptoms in the early stages, people are not visiting their physicians regarding the illness, and many are not educated on the risk factors or the detection steps they should take.
  • Diabetes and high blood pressure cause 64% of all kidney failure cases in the US.
  • Ask your doctor to calculate your glomerular filtration rate (GFR) from the results of a simple blood test. GFR can tell your doctor what your level of kidney function is.

Risk Factors:

  • Individuals with diabetes and high blood pressure are at higher risk.
  • Older individuals, African Americans, Hispanics, Asians, Pacific Islanders, Native Americans and Arab Americans are at increased risk for developing chronic kidney disease.
  • African Americans are four times more likely to develop kidney failure from diabetes than Caucasians.
  • African Americans are 6.5 times more likely to develop kidney failure from high blood pressure than Caucasians.