Matthew Purvis, a 26-year-old volunteer firefighter from a small town in Florida, read about the Tour DaVita™ in a DaVita company magazine that his mother, a DaVita nurse, brought home earlier this year. The article described a challenging three-day, 240-mile bike ride that would be taking place in Washington state. Matthew, who is a dedicated bicyclist and outdoor enthusiast, said to himself, “Wow, this is right up my alley,” and proceeded to become the first dialysis patient to ride in the annual event that has raised awareness about chronic kidney disease and funds for The Kidney TRUST over the last four years.

Matthew didn’t think that he was doing anything special when he signed up for the event. He had purchased a new bicycle in June and ridden more than 2,000 miles as part of his regular fitness regime and figured he could do the three-day ride without much problem, assuming he could get in his regular dialysis treatments during the event.

It was only when he arrived in Tacoma before the event (after the first airplane ride of his life) that he realized that other riders and Tour DaVita organizers and leadership thought that he stood out from the crowd in a big way. MORE >>

The days before and after Halloween 2010 were a busy time at ASD Healthcare headquarters in Frisco, Texas. As a specialty distribution company with a focus on products that treat both chronic kidney disease (CKD) and end stage renal disease (ESRD), ASD is an active member of the kidney disease treatment community and a strong supporter of The Kidney TRUST’s efforts to raise awareness about the risks of CKD.

Almost 200 ASD employees participated in a company-sponsored kidney disease screening held in the Frisco office on Monday, November 1, after many of these same employees spent their Halloween Sunday helping to raise awareness about kidney disease at the DaVita Kidney Awareness Run/Walk™ in nearby Ft. Worth. ASD Healthcare is a national sponsor of the Run/Walks, but takes a special interest in the Ft. Worth event, which takes place in their home state.

“Giving back to our patient community is an important part of company culture at ASD,” said Juli Phillips, marketing coordinator for ASD and a member of the company’s spirit and wellness committee. “It’s easy to write a check for a sponsorship, but we try to take things one step further." MORE >>

For William Venus, the spirit and camaraderie of Tour DaVita™ had to be experienced to be believed. Will, who is Vice President of Nephrology for ASD Healthcare, had heard about the Tour from colleagues who had ridden in the past, but said that the experience itself was beyond his expectations.

More than 400 riders participated in the 4th Annual Tour DaVita from September 18-22, 2010, embarking on a 240-mile bike ride that started in Tacoma and wound through the rainy, but scenic valleys, farms, and forests of Washington state. Over the past four years, the Tour has raised awareness about chronic kidney disease and funds for The Kidney TRUST’s kidney disease awareness and prevention programs.

“How often do you get the chance to put day-to-day concerns aside and focus all your energy on an event that benefits a cause you believe in?” said 40-year-old Will. MORE >>