TRUST’s Rapid-Screening Program Featured During National Kidney Month

The Kidney TRUST is observing National Kidney Month and World Kidney Day by conducting a series of free rapid-screening programs in Colorado, California, Texas, and Washington, D.C. throughout the month of March. Since the TRUST launched its CKD rapid-screening program in October of 2007, nearly 7,000 people have been screened for the disease.

TRUST employees and volunteers are conducting rapid-screening sessions around the U.S. during National Kidney Month

“26 million adult Americans suffer from kidney disease,” said TRUST President Barbara Lawson, “but CKD is a silent epidemic and often has no symptoms until the kidneys begin to fail.  Thousands of people crash into dialysis in the United States every year because they haven’t known that their kidneys were at risk.  The good news is that CKD is usually treatable if detected early.”

The goal of the TRUST’s innovative rapid-testing program is to identify individuals who have signs of kidney impairment. Along with learning their screening results onsite, participants receive materials that offer education about CKD and its prevention and are encouraged to seek medical follow-up as appropriate.  The TRUST’s screening program is carried out in non-medical settings such as large employer workplaces and community health fairs.

Ms. Lawson added “People with risk factors for kidney disease, including family history, diabetes, and hypertension should be screened regularly.  The good news is that the tests for CKD are simple, speedy, and inexpensive – a blood test for creatinine converted to an eGFR and a urine test that looks for the presence of protein.  We want to get the message out to the public that taking a simple test for CKD now could help head off serious health problems in the future.”