On March 24th, 2020, Patient Worthy released a story announcing the formation of a Coronavirus Emergency fund by the American Kidney Fund (AKF). The goal of this fund is to support low income patients with chronic kidney disease that are currently undergoing dialysis or have recently received a kidney transplant. Patients with kidney disease and other pre-existing conditions are at a greater risk of severe complications if they are infected with coronavirus and the fund is intended to help patients handle the financial pressures.
About Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD)
Chronic kidney disease is an illness in which the functionality of the kidneys is affected over time. This progressive disease can occur over a period of months or years and often results in eventual kidney failure. This disease often causes no symptoms at first. There are a number of risk factors for chronic kidney disease, such as diabetes, glomerulonephritis, family history, and high blood pressure. The cause is not known in all cases. As the disease progresses, symptoms such as leg swelling, confusion, fatigue, vomiting, loss of appetite, heart disease, bone disease, anemia, and high blood pressure may appear. Treatment may include dietary changes, certain medications, and, in later stages, dialysis or kidney transplant. The most common cause of death for people with chronic kidney disease is cardiovascular disease, which may appear before the kidneys completely shut down. To learn more about chronic kidney disease, click here.
Call for Donations
On the first day that the emergency fund was announced, the initial $300,000 allocation was depleted due to the sheer volume of applications. The AKF is urgently asking for donations to keep the fund operational and has recently received contribution from three pharmaceutical companies: Natera, Akebia Therapeutics, and Horizon Therapeutics plc. The fund has received a staggering 4,000 applications, but even with the contributions, it can only fund less than half of them. The AKF Coronavirus Emergency Fund provides a grant to any chronic kidney disease patient that has received a transplant or is on dialysis than can demonstrate financial need.
To donate, click here.
AKF President and CEO LaVerne A. Burton had this to say:
“We are so grateful to Akebia, Horizon, and Natera for stepping up to help patients during this emergency, and we are hopeful that many other corporations will join them in helping to fund this critical effort.”
To apply for a grant, click here.
Coronavirus and Kidney Disease
To learn more about chronic kidney disease and the coronavirus, check out these resources:
https://www.kidneyfund.org/coronavirus/
Patients with End Stage Chronic Kidney Disease are at Greater Risk for COVID-19
For more information about the American Kidney Fund, visit KidneyFund.org.
