Going The Extra Mile Proved Successful For The American Association Of Kidney Patients And Its 36th Annual Convention

Main Category: Urology / Nephrology
Article Date: 11 Sep 2009 - 3:00 PDT

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The American Association of Kidney Patients (AAKP) would like to thank patients, renal professionals, exhibitors and sponsors for their participation in the Association's 36th Annual National Convention. The event held Sept. 3-5 in Denver, Colo., attracted nearly 200 attendees from across the country.

AAKP held its first National Convention in 1973. Over time, it has become the largest event of its kind where patients and renal professionals gather for three days of educational sessions and fun social events. Educational sessions included: Why Do I Have Reduced Kidney Function, Innovations in Kidney Disease, Transplantation 101: How Do I Get A Kidney Transplant, and There's No Place Like Home: Home Dialysis Options.

"We received great feedback regarding the educational sessions from patients," stated AAKP President Roberta Wager, RN, MSN. "Several attendees told me they received valuable information that they plan on taking back to their hometown and sharing it with their family, friends and fellow kidney patients."

AAKP recognized several patients and organizations that have made significant contributions to the kidney community over the past year. Nominations were received from across the country from kidney patients and health care professionals. The awards were presented during the Annual Banquet and Awards Ceremony. Winners included:

Bob Abbott, Pine Bluff, AK - Community Achievement Award
John Aragon, Albuquerque, NM - Patient Comeback of the Year Award
Walter Bender, MD; Kansas City, MO - Peter Lundin, MD Award
Terry Butcher, U.S. Virgin Islands - Caregiver of the Year Award
Tejas Desi, MD; Greenville, NC - Maureen Lundin aakpRENALIFE Award
Sam Pederson, Seattle, WA - AAKP Volunteer of the Year Award
Betty Rinaldi, Tampa, FL - Josephine Berman Award
Roberta Wager, RN, MSN; San Antonio, TX - Samuel Orenstein Award
Joseph White, Potomac, MD (Posthumously) - Kris Robinson Memorial Award
Tampa Bay Kidney Community, Tampa, FL - Support Group of the Year Award
ESRD Network 8 (Mississippi, Alabama, Tennessee) - Dominick Gentile Award

"It was an honor to recognize patients and organizations who have contributed so much to the renal community," said AAKP Executive Director Kim Buettner. "Their work on behalf of kidney patients and their passion for all those affected by kidney disease is commended and should be recognized."

Pictures from the 2009 AAKP National Convention are posted on the AAKP Web site, http://www.aakp.org/events/convention/2009/Convention-Memories. For more information about AAKP please call (800) 749-2257 or visit http://www.aakp.org. The 36th Annual AAKP Convention sponsors include: Abbott Renal Care; AMAG Pharmaceuticals, Inc.; American Society of Nephrology; Amgen, Inc.; Astellas Pharma US, Inc.; Dialysis Clinic, Inc.; Fresenius Medical Care North America; Genzyme Corporation.

Source
AAKP

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