Largest Kidney Group Honors Veterans and Families on Veterans Day

AAKP Reaffirms Commitment to Choice, Access, and the Best Heart, Kidney, and Metabolic Care for America's Veterans

TAMPA, Fla., Nov. 10, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The American Association of Kidney Patients (AAKP), the oldest and largest independent kidney patient organization in the nation, honors Veterans Day 2026 and National Veterans and Military Families Month by recognizing the service and sacrifice of the men and women of the U.S. Armed Forces and of the spouses, children, parents, and caregivers who share in that sacrifice every day. Throughout November, AAKP will highlight its Veterans Health Initiative (VHI), its formal partnership with the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Kidney Medicine Program, and other national education, awareness, and employment initiatives designed to support Veterans living with kidney disease, heart disease, diabetes, and other complex chronic conditions.

Veterans face a disproportionate burden of kidney disease. Chronic kidney disease (CKD) affects roughly one in six Veterans, compared with about one in seven Americans overall, and more than 1.4 million Veterans enrolled in VA healthcare are living with the condition. More than half of Veterans with CKD also have diabetes, and many face coexisting heart disease, underscoring the need for integrated heart, kidney, and metabolic care. As part of its November programming, AAKP will host a special HealthLine webinar, "Serving Those Who Served: Veterans, Kidney Health, and Research," on Tuesday, November 17, 2026, from 2:00–3:00 p.m. ET (Click here to register). Moderated by AAKP President Edward V. Hickey III, the webinar will feature Dr. Michael Fischer of the VHA Kidney Medicine Program and VA-funded kidney researchers Dr. Bruce Robinson, Dr. Laura Petersen, and Dr. Areef Ishani.

Military families carry burdens that are too often unseen: long deployments, frequent relocations, interrupted careers, and, for many, the lifelong responsibility of caring for a loved one who returned home with service-related injuries or illness. AAKP believes that honoring our Veterans means honoring their families as well, and ensuring that both have the support, information, and care they have earned.

"For AAKP, Veterans Day is an important reminder to remember the men and women who have honorably served our nation in both peace and war and whose continued good health is a national commitment and obligation. We are very focused on both the lives and livelihoods of American Veterans and fully support their choice and access to the best heart, kidney and metabolic care available, as well as their continued participation in the workforce," said AAKP President, Chair of its Veterans Health Initiative and United States Marine Corps Veteran, Edward V. Hickey, III.

The AAKP Veterans Health Initiative was launched in 2017 at a kidney disease summit hosted by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Through its Veterans Health Initiative, AAKP advances policies that safeguard the highest standards of kidney care, treatment, and consumer choice for Veterans both inside and outside the VA medical system. The initiative is also designed to build and maintain public support for advanced research, innovation, and public policies aimed at advancing improved health outcomes for America's Veterans. Since 2017, the Veterans Health Initiative, led by Veterans who are patients, has evolved into the largest and most comprehensive non-government Veterans outreach program serving the kidney community.

AAKP is equally committed to Veterans' livelihoods. Early detection, access to innovative therapies, and patient-centered treatment options — including home dialysis and transplantation — help Veterans with kidney disease remain active in their communities and in the workforce, supporting the financial stability of their families. AAKP is proud to continue its longstanding collaboration with CareerEco Virtual Events through the sponsorship of two upcoming national virtual career fairs designed to connect Veterans and military spouses with employment opportunities. The sponsored events include:

• Virtual Career Fair for Veterans and Military Spouses — January 13, 2027
  https://www.careereco.com/events/VeteransJan2027
• Virtual Career Fair for Veterans and Military Spouses — May 18, 2027
  https://www.careereco.com/events/VeteransMay2027

Christina Van Dewater, Director of Operations, CareerEco Virtual Events, stated, "Since 2017, CareerEco has been proud to partner with the American Association of Kidney Patients to connect kidney patients and U.S. military veterans suffering from kidney diseases and their families with employers who value their talent and understand their need for flexibility. We are grateful for AAKP's continued support and sponsorship of our virtual events and look forward to building on nearly a decade of collaboration to create meaningful, free-to-attend opportunities for every community member who AAKP serves." AAKP's continued sponsorship of these events reflects its commitment to addressing the broader needs of people living with kidney disease, recognizing that meaningful employment and economic opportunity are important elements of patient independence, dignity, and long-term well-being.

AAKP recognizes that employment, financial stability, and access to flexible career opportunities are important components of overall quality of life for kidney patients, Veterans, and their families. These virtual events provide opportunities for Veterans and military spouses to connect with prospective employers, explore career pathways, and pursue meaningful employment opportunities. The virtual format can be especially valuable for individuals managing chronic health conditions, disabilities, caregiving responsibilities, or other circumstances that make traditional in-person recruitment events more challenging.

In addition to backing strong ongoing investments in Veterans health through the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, AAKP advocates help larger kidney community efforts, coordinated by the American Society of Nephrology (ASN) (view report), to expand Congressional appropriations and taxpayer investments in kidney science and research by up to $1.8 billion, through the National Institutes of Health and the U.S. Department of Defense. AAKP is committed to American leadership in the discovery of safe, next-generation kidney technologies while counteracting the pacing threat of communist China and its state-orchestrated efforts to dominate biotech, manipulate the drug supply chain, and limit patient choice.

This Veterans Day, AAKP encourages all Veterans, particularly those living with diabetes or high blood pressure, to talk with their health care providers about kidney screening, and invites Veterans, their families, and caregivers to learn more about AAKP's resources at www.aakp.org.

Follow AAKP on social media at @kidneypatient on Facebook, @kidneypatients on X, and @kidneypatients on Instagram, and visit http://www.aakp.org for more information. AAKP patient advocates advance bipartisan kidney policy including: passage of the bipartisan law modernizing the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN) (2023); lifetime transplant drug coverage for kidney patients (2020); the historic Executive Order on Advancing American Kidney Health signed by President Donald Trump (2019); job protections for living organ donors under the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) via the U.S. Department of Labor (2018); and Congressional approval of HIV positive organ transplants for HIV positive patients (2013). 

MEDIA CONTACT:
Brendan LaCivita
National and Medical Media Specialist
[email protected]
(813) 906-7740

SOURCE American Association of Kidney Patients