As part of its mission of early detection and early intervention, the National Kidney Foundation of Maryland (NKF-MD) will explain why the kidneys are important, discuss risk factors for kidney disease and give recommendations for protecting the kidneys. African Americans are 3.5 times more likely than Caucasians to experience kidney failure. In fact, African Americans constitute more than 35 percent of all American dialysis patients.

Diabetes is the leading cause of kidney failure in African Americans. African Americans are twice as likely to be diagnosed with diabetes as Caucasians. Approximately 4.9 million African Americans over 20 years of age are living with either diagnosed or undiagnosed diabetes.

High blood pressure is the second leading cause of kidney failure among African Americans, and remains the leading cause of death due to its link with heart attacks and strokes.

Serving central and western Maryland, the Delmarva Peninsula and portions of Virginia and West Virginia, the National Kidney Foundation of Maryland is the area’s only voluntary health agency dedicated to preventing kidney and urinary tract diseases, improving the health and well-being of individuals and families affected by these diseases, and increasing the availability of all organs for transplantation. For more information, visit www.kidneymd.org.