Over 3.1 million people -- young and old, across all ethnicities -- throughout Northern California, Northern Nevada, Oregon, Washington and Alaska have chronic kidney disease and another 2.5 million are estimated to have CKD and don't know it. With this comes a host of often dire human and financial costs. This is true in both urban and rural communities.

Among the goals of the NKF is to identify those at risk for CKD and its causes, such as diabetes, high blood pressure and childhood obesity to name a few, offering opportunities for early and effective treatment, better health through education and prevention and patient self management and support, all of which lead to positive lifestyle choices and less healthcare costs.

The Foundation has screened nearly 5,000 people in this region since 2004, when its screening program began, with nearly 2,000 more being screened each year. Another 20,000 people are aided each year through its educational outreach, prevention and support programs.

The KidneyBus Campaign aims to raise $500,000 to launch a custom-designed and fitted mobile exhibit offering free prevention and education programs, peer to peer counseling sessions, and health screenings for high blood pressure, diabetes and chronic kidney disease (CKD) to communities throughout our service region.

Once ready to hit the road, the KidneyBus will increase four-fold the Foundation's ability to reach people with its life-saving/altering programs. Up to 8,000 people will be screened and another 80,000 people will be positively impacted each year, which will help save and enrich more lives. It will also lead to tens of millions of dollars in annual health care cost savings for Alaska, California, Nevada, Oregon and Washington state governments and its businesses.

You can be a part of this exciting approach to health management. Please contact our San Francisco office at 1-888-i-ask-nkf, 415-543-3303, infopacific@kidney.org, to make a financial contribution, become a corporate sponsor, be part of the KidneyBus Campaign leadership team or form more information. You may also assist this effort as a volunteer or in-kind donor. To help defer costs, the Foundation is seeking a donation of a suitable tractor-trailer cab or tour bus, materials for the renovation and the services of an architect, engineer, carpenter/builder(s), electrician and others, licensed drivers and others who have the expertise, interest and time to aid in the retrofit of the KidneyBus.

 
The KidneyBus will be a primary care mobile screening clinic and education center, with varying stations within the vehicle or tractor-trailer cab. It will be equipped with an intake and waiting room, lab preparation area, examination room, restroom, generator, computers with wi-fi for education and research, resource library and much more.

Once operating, the KidneyBus will make visits to businesses, health fairs, schools, churches, community centers, state capital's, city hall's and town centers and other locations where large numbers of people can be screened and learn more about kidney health.

Education Station

Information will be provided on healthy lifestyle choices, kidney disease and prevention, organ donation, transplantation and treatment choices (dialysis modalities, transplant, medical management) for children and adults. Also available will be interactive education items for children, DVD's, display's, computer and internet access for education and research, peer to peer training materials for patients, family members, living organ donor and others, advocacy building to make change with policy makers, and information and counseling services provided by volunteer medical professionals on fitness, diet, disease self management, organ donation; warning signs and causes of kidney disease.

Community Health Screening Stations

Health Questionnaire Interview
An in depth questionnaire is done to outline the participants health history and identifying risk factors for CKD.

Blood Pressure
Untreated and/or undiagnosed high blood pressure can cause kidney disease. Normal blood pressure is below 120/80.

Body Mass Index (BMI) Education
Body Mass Index is the relation of height to weight. Obesity can cause diabetes and cardiovascular complications.

Waist Circumference
This is a simple measurement of the waist. Carrying too much weight around your middle can increase your risk of developing diabetes and other disease.

Blood Glucose
This finger prick is used to assess blood sugar level. If the finger prick result is out of normal range, then diabetics and others may have a HbA1c test which provides a 3-month 'snapshot' of the amount of sugar attached to red blood cells and is diagnostic for diabetes.

Blood draw
A blood draw provides information on serum Creatinine and eGFR, an estimation of kidney function.

Urinalysis
A urine sample determines if there are microscopic amounts of protein present. This can an early sign of kidney disease, sometimes referred to as "spilling protein."

Private Consultation Station

The NKF wants to make sure that participants understand their screening results and important next steps to better their health. Each participant will have a private consultation at the end of the screening to receive individual test results.

Memorial/Tribute Station

The KidneyBus will also allow anyone to remember and pay tribute to a loved one(s), living or deceased, who has been affected by kidney disease. This station will also include written and video testimonies from people whose lives have been touched by kidney disease, providing hope and help to those in need.