Why We Walk for The National Kidney Foundation

At Jacksonville Nephrology, we are passionate about caring for others and helping when and where we can. This includes participating as ‘The Dream Team’ in the annual Kidney Walk in Jacksonville for the National Kidney Foundation (NKF). We take great pride in our participation each year, representing our patients who have been diagnosed with kidney diseases and helping to bring awareness to the community. Read more below about NKF and from our team to learn why each of us walk with NFK.

About The National Kidney Foundation:
The National Kidney Foundation is a non-profit organization that provides education and resources to people living with kidney diseases. Assistance can include transportation to appointments or treatments, access to personal and healthcare resources, and connection with your community through mentors and other kidney patients. NKF also advocates for equity and equal access to kidney care for all. Their mission is “to revolutionize 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.” They live their mission in how they care for each patient and the kidney community as a whole. NKF provides educational materials (including kidney-friendly recipes), articles on kidney health, and updates on legislation that promotes kidney care equity. 

Inspiration from the Dream Team
Our team has seen what an impact NKF can make first-hand. From our years of walking with them and listening to patient stories, we have been moved and inspired in our own ways. 

• Samantha (RPM Care Coordinator): "I walk so that I can be a representative for those that want to walk but are unable to be at the event with us."
• Kayla (Office Manager): "I walk to help restore hope for those who are living with kidney diseases and other chronic illnesses."
• Henrietta (Medical Assistant): “I walk to support family members and to support a good cause. This disease can hit any of us at any time.”
• Chris (Front Desk): “The walk is a fun way for us to show our patients that we are in the moment with them and that we practice what we preach.”
• Penny (Director of Nursing): “The walk is a way to bring exposure to kidney disease. Many people don’t know about kidney disease until they're in kidney failure.”
• Brittany (Dialysis Nurse): “I went into nursing because I wanted to be a voice for patients. I never got to build a connection with patients until I came to dialysis. It's bittersweet when you lose a lot more patients than you think. My perspective on dialysis changed when I was able to connect with the patients more.”
• Cora (Facility Administrator): “Dialysis is a small community. The walk is a chance for patients and providers to connect and share knowledge.”
• Mary (Home Dialysis Nurse): “I walk to support my patients and for community awareness. A lot of people don’t know what dialysis is and what patients go through. I hope people think about their own choices and healthy kidneys. We just want to educate the community.”
• Crystal (Patient Care Tech): “NKF can help to provide connections to personal, educational, and financial resources within their community to cope with this disease. A lot of patients wouldn't be able to get the care they need without them.”

In the coming weeks, we are hosting a number of fundraising activities in our offices to raise funds before the walk. We will have an envelope donation wall, a Mother’s Day raffle basket, and a friendly competition between our teams called Penny Wars. Stay tuned for more information to come! All funds from these activities will be donated to NKF. Come stop by our offices and join us this year at Riverside Park on May 18th, 2025 at 8:30am! There will be booths, games, music, and food! We hope to see you there, walking and helping us raise resources and awareness for kidney diseases!