Winchester Medical Center (WMC) urges the community to understand the risk
factors and the importance of prevention and early detection and treatment
of kidney disease at a free World Kidney Day event on Thursday, March
9, 8 a.m. – 2 p.m., in the WMC Conference Center.
Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is often referred to as a “silent”
disease because early symptoms may go unnoticed. CKD does not happen overnight
and there is no cure for kidney failure. This is why early screening is
important to detect kidney disease before it progresses.
Valley Health staff will talk with attendees, share information, offer
body fat analysis, medication review with a pharmacist, and healthy snack
samples from a dietitian. Free kidney screenings, including blood and
urine tests, will be offered all day on a first come, first served basis,
limited to 200 people. There will be light refreshments. And a photo booth!
“Most of us take our kidneys for granted,” says event coordinator
Jennifer Lutz, RN, BSN, clinical nurse manager of renal services at WMC.
“Kidneys play such an important role in your good health. They filter
and clean 200 liters of blood every day, help balance the levels of essential
chemicals in the body, and produce critical hormones.”
High blood pressure, diabetes and being overweight are the main causes
of chronic kidney disease, Jennifer explains, which can lead to kidney
failure and greater risk of heart attack and stroke. Other risk factors
include smoking, age over 50, family history of kidney disease, and presence
of any other kidney disease. Those at high risk should ask their doctor
about having small samples of blood and urine tested to check for early
signs of kidney problems. Take advantage of a free screening at the WMC
Conference Center on Thursday – it could be an important first step!
For more information about the World Kidney Day awareness and education
event at Winchester Medical Center, call 540-536-4651. World Kidney Day
is an initiative of the International Society of Nephrology and the International
Federation of Kidney Foundations, made possible locally by generous support
from the Winchester Medical Center Foundation.