On behalf of everyone at The Kidney TRUST, I’d like to extend our best wishes for a healthy, happy and productive new year. This is an exciting time at the TRUST as we work with our friends and supporters to expand our programs and raise awareness about the threat of Chronic Kidney Disease (“CKD”) and reduce its human and financial impact.

All of us at the TRUST are proud of the progress we have made through our rapid-screening program that has now reached nearly 15,000 people, and our financial assistance program for people on dialysis that has awarded more than 1,000 grants totaling nearly $2.2 million over the last two years.

But our work is just beginning — CKD is a disease that affects over 31 million Americans and the number of people who experience kidney failure every year is growing at an alarming rate. MORE >>

After visiting the doctor last June for what she thought were minor health issues, Jenny McFadden was shocked to learn that she had developed Chronic Kidney Disease (“CKD”), a condition that affects over 31 million Americans.

Jenny, who lives in Capron, Illinois, wasn’t the type of person to worry about her health, although she was a smoker and 60 pounds overweight. She’d been happily married for 15 years with two sons (Devin and Damon, ages 11 and 13) and although she’d had some kidney issues as a child, she thought any problems in that regard were behind her. As it turned out, the damage done to her kidneys earlier in life made her more vulnerable to CKD as an adult. Her CKD diagnosis was a real wake-up call. MORE >>

The Kidney TRUST has named Roy Malkin, president & CEO of Minntech Corporation, and Derrick Donald, national accounts director for the renal division of Genzyme Corporation, as members of The TRUST’s board of directors.

“I’m very pleased to have two such dedicated and passionate individuals join our board,” said The TRUST’s President & CEO Annette Eros.

“Roy and Derrick have extensive experience working in the renal industry and share with me a personal commitment to raising awareness about chronic kidney disease and reducing the personal and societal toll of this serious condition.”

Roy K. Malkin is president and chief executive officer of Minntech Corporation, a subsidiary of Cantel Medical Corporation, a position he has held since September 2001. Minntech is a publicly-held company based in Minneapolis that manufactures and markets medical devices, sterilants, and blood and water filtration products, many of which are used in dialysis.

Derrick S. Donald is national accounts director in the renal division at Genzyme, a position he has held since 2008. Prior to that, Donald was national account manager and clinical science specialist, both at Genzyme. Genzyme is one of the world’s leading biotechnology companies — its products and services are focused on rare inherited disorders, kidney disease, orthopedics, cancer, transplant, and immune disease.