National Kidney Foundation Reinforces Commitment to Latino Health During Hispanic Heritage Month

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Singer, Composer and Producer Don Omar and TV Journalist Pamela Silva Featured in Videos to Raise Awareness of Chronic Kidney Disease

NEW YORK, Sept. 18, 2024 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/-- The National Kidney Foundation (NKF) is celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month by collaborating with Latino health professionals and celebrities to create educational videos for Latino adults about the risks of Chronic Kidney Disease. Emphasizing the importance of early detection and prevention, the videos include a panel highlighting resources available to families affected by this disease, a chat with a nutrition expert about how everyday foods can help protect your kidneys, and a public service announcement urging Latinos to assess their risk at the foundation's website minuteforyourkidneys.org.

The videos, which will be published on all NKF social platforms during Hispanic Heritage Month, include:

• Healthy Kidneys, Happy Families, a panel discussion focusing on the specific challenges facing the Hispanic community in terms of kidney health. Topics such as lack of health insurance, language barriers, and cultural insensitivity will be addressed, along with the higher prevalence of certain health conditions like diabetes. The panel, moderated by UnivisionTelevisa Primer Impacto host Pamela Silva, will feature NKF president Dr. Sylvia Rosas and two-time kidney recipient and living donor advocate Mario Ponce.
   
• A public service announcement (PSA) featuring Singer, Composer and Producer Don Omar addressing the alarming statistics that one in three Latino adults are at risk of developing kidney disease. Earlier this year, the Puerto Rican artist shared that he was cancer-free after revealing his kidney cancer diagnosis just the day prior. "Thank you for your good wishes, prayers and thousands of messages. My surgery was a success and now to recover," the singer announced on his Instagram account. By sharing his story, Don Omar hopes to raise awareness about the risks of kidney disease and encourage Latinos to take steps to protect their health by assessing their risk at the foundation's website minuteforyourkidneys.org.
   
• A special Q&A session featuring licensed dietitian and NKF collaborator María Eugenia Rodriguez, who will share practical tips for enjoying traditional Latin dishes while protecting your kidney health. The chat, moderated by People En Español entertainment editor Carole Joseph, is part of NKF's Hispanic Heritage Month initiative to promote healthy eating within the Latino community.

Earlier this year, the National Kidney Foundation announced significant progress in its mission to achieve KIDNEY EQUITY FOR ALL™ by expanding essential patient programs and resources in Spanish, ensuring that more individuals have access to vital information and support.

Some of the resources include:

• A series of videos about kidneys and treatment options like dialysis and transplant delivered in Spanish by patients, by visiting: www.kidney.org/HHM
   
• NKF PEERS, a mentoring program where kidney patients speak to other kidney patients about their experience with dialysis or transplant, by visiting www.kidney.org/es/peers or calling 855-653-7337.
   
• Extended material where kidney patients and families can learn more about living kidney donation, at www.kidney.org/transplante.

About Kidney Disease
In the United States, 35 million adults are estimated to have kidney disease, also known as chronic kidney disease (CKD)—and approximately 90 percent don't know they have it. 1 in 3 adults in the U.S. are at risk for kidney disease. Risk factors for kidney disease include diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, obesity, and family history. People of Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, American Indian or Alaska Native, Asian American, or Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander descent are at increased risk for developing the disease. Black or African American people are more than four times as likely as White Americans to have kidney failure.

About KIDNEY EQUITY FOR ALL™
Historically, access to kidney health has remained inequitable, with persistent disparities disproportionately affecting underserved populations and impacting the entire kidney patient journey. To address these disparities, NKF is urging industry and community leaders to join them on their KIDNEY EQUITY FOR ALL™ mission by allocating resources to improve healthcare access and outcomes in communities of color. This is a tangible opportunity for businesses to incorporate Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) principles into their operations. For more information on KIDNEY EQUITY FOR ALL™, visit www.kidneyequityforall.org.

About the National Kidney Foundation
The National Kidney Foundation is revolutionizing the fight to save lives by eliminating preventable kidney disease, accelerating innovation for the dignity of the patient experience, and dismantling structural inequities in kidney care, dialysis and transplantation. For more information about NKF, visit www.kidney.org.

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SOURCE National Kidney Foundation