American Kidney Fund

The nation's leading source of charitable assistance to dialysis patients, we fight kidney disease through direct support to kidney patients, health education and prevention outreach to the millions at risk.

Why do we exist?

Kidney disease is a silent killer. One out of every nine Americans has chronic kidney disease – most of them without knowing it. If their kidney disease isn’t caught early, they may gradually progress to complete kidney failure. Then their survival will depend on dialysis treatment for three days a week, 3-4 hours each day, unless they are lucky enough to undergo a kidney transplant.

The American Kidney Fund gives financial aid to people living with kidney failure who struggle daily with the enormous costs of dialysis treatment – especially those who are uninsured, underinsured or at risk of losing their insurance. We help cover their private health insurance, Medicare and COBRA premiums. We help with the cost of prescription medications. We help with transportation costs to get to and from the dialysis center.

The American Kidney Fund conducts screening events and offers free screenings for kidney disease, diabetes and high blood pressure.  We educate people about kidney disease and explain the value of early testing and diagnosis. We explain how to avoid or delay kidney failure.

Americans are falling prey to chronic disease at a fearful rate. American families are shouldering huge physical, emotional and financial burdens caused by our nation’s chronic disease crisis. We must sound the alarm about kidney disease and diabetes and high blood pressure, which are the #1 and #2 causes of kidney disease.

What have you accomplished?

Each year Pam’s pension check became smaller, and her medical bills became larger. Diagnosed with kidney disease at the age of 12, Pam began dialysis treatment in its earliest days. “In the old days,” Pam observes, “dialysis was almost worse than having kidney disease.”

One kidney transplant failed. The second one was successful. The donated organ lasted 32 years, until two years ago. Now Pam is back on dialysis. Pam’s financial challenges over the years have rivaled her health problems.

“It’s frustrating not having enough money for my own medicines, groceries and basic necessities. I was so excited when I qualified for a patient grant from the American Kidney Fund after being turned down by other assistance programs,” Pam states.

Pam and 87,000 other Americans living with kidney failure received financial aid from the American Kidney Fund in 2009.

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