PHILADELPHIA, April 26, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The American Kidney Fund (AKF), the nation's leading nonprofit working on behalf of the 31 million Americans with kidney disease, will host its annual Kidney Action Day in Philadelphia on Friday, April 29 from 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Municipal Services Building Plaza, directly across from City Hall.

Open to the public, Philadelphia Kidney Action Day offers free kidney health screenings, healthy cooking demonstrations, fitness activities and entertainment. The event is held in partnership with the Philadelphia Department of Public Health and is made possible through the generous support of Presenting National Screening Sponsor American Renal Associates, National Screening Sponsor U.S. Renal Care, Inc., and Regional Sponsor Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals, along with other supporters in the community.

"The city of Philadelphia is grateful to the American Kidney Fund for its continued efforts to support kidney health for the people of our community," said Mayor Jim Kenney. "The free health screenings at Kidney Action Day, along with the support provided through AKF's grant programs, ensure better health outcomes for some of our most vulnerable citizens. I encourage all Philadelphians to come by the Municipal Services Building Plaza on April 29 to learn how they can protect themselves from kidney disease."

"Chronic kidney disease is a serious health concern in Philadelphia, which is why we make it a priority to bring Kidney Action Day to this community," said LaVarne A. Burton, AKF president and CEO. "Because kidney disease has no symptoms until the late stages, it's critically important for people to find out if they may be at risk, and if they are at risk, to get tested. We want to arm Philadelphians with preventive information and steps to take to keep themselves healthy."

In addition to kidney health screenings, Kidney Action Day will include healthy cooking demonstrations from the JNA Institute of Culinary Arts, fitness demonstrations provided by Drexel University Recreation Center, entertainment from rapper Sterlen Barr, and other family-fun activities such as line dancing.

In 2015, AKF provided health screenings to more than 300 people at Philadelphia Kidney Action Day, while providing charitable assistance to nearly 2,000 low-income kidney patients in metro Philadelphia throughout the year. Grants from AKF helped these patients maintain their health insurance coverage and pay for out-of-pocket treatment-related expenses that insurance does not cover.

Kidney disease is an often-preventable condition, yet it is the nation's ninth-leading cause of death. Diabetes and high blood pressure are the two leading causes of kidney disease. Other risk factors include having a family history of kidney disease, being over 60, and being African-American, Asian American, Native American or of Hispanic ethnicity. Left undiagnosed and untreated, chronic kidney disease can lead to heart attacks, stroke, kidney failure and death.

For more information on the American Kidney Fund, visit www.KidneyFund.org

About the American Kidney Fund

As the nation's leading nonprofit working on behalf of the 31 million Americans with kidney disease, the American Kidney Fund is dedicated to ensuring that every kidney patient has access to health care, and that every person at risk for kidney disease is empowered to prevent it. AKF provides a complete spectrum of programs and services: prevention outreach, top-rated health educational resources, and direct financial assistance enabling 1 in 5 U.S. dialysis patients to access lifesaving medical care, including dialysis and transplantation. 

For more information, please visit KidneyFund.org, or connect with us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.  

SOURCE American Kidney Fund