When patients in her support group complained that they did not find out about the level/stage of their kidney function or the GFR (glomerular filtration rate) until it was too late and they were headed towards dialysis, Lana Schmidt decided to do something about it.  "Blood labs throughout the United States need to change their GFR lab reporting to show the exact number of the GFR and the stage of kidney disease," says Schmidt. Currently, it is common practice to report on the blood labs GFR greater than 60 normal, when 59 is stage 3. This change is needed.  ​"So both ..read more

Our Patient Co-Investigator, Lana Schmidt, won a KidneyX Patient Innovator Prize, funded by the National Kidney Foundation. Her project is entitled "Getting a care partner for home dialysis." Getting a care partner for home dialysis Motivating patients to make the transition from in-center dialysis to home dialysis can be very challenging because it is an unknown and they are fearful. One way to help ease their fear is to have someone there to help them after they have gone through the training. Most states have some type of home health care program for chronically ill patients that provides ..read more

Our Patient Co-Investigator on our study, Peter Woods​, who suffers from 9/11-related lung, heart, and kidney ailments, fears COVID-19 would be "a death sentence". He was recently featured in a story about this in The City, an independent, nonprofit news outlet in New York. ​Click here to view the full story ..read more

Our Patient Co-Investigor on our study, Patty Danielson, has been on dialysis for more than 12 years. Most patients undergo dialysis three days a week for four hours at a time, which is risky during this time of the Coronavirus.  View Patty's full story on The Washington Post website here.  ..read more

End-stage renal disease (ESRD) occurs when chronic kidney disease reaches an advanced state. Early in chronic kidney disease, you may have no signs or symptoms. As chronic kidney disease progresses to end-stage renal disease, signs and symptoms might include: Nausea Vomiting Appetite Loss Fatigue + weakness Problems sleeping Changes in urination Decreased mental sharpness Muscle twitches and cramps Swelling of feet and ankles Persistent itching Chest pain, if fluid builds up around the lining of the heart Shortness of breath, if fluid builds up in the lungs High blood pressure  Si ..read more

When patients in her support group complained that they did not find out about their GFR (glomerular filtration rate) until it was too late and they were headed towards dialysis, Lana Schmidt decided to do something about it.  "Blood labs throughout the United States need to change their GFR lab reporting to show the exact number of the GFR and the stage," says Schmidt. "So both patients and their doctors are informed whether or not they have kidney disease and at what level."  It has taken years of advocating, but Lana was able to get this change made at her local hospital ..read more

Our Patient Co-Investigator, Lana Schmidt, won a KidneyX Patient Innovator Prize, funded by the National Kidney Foundation. Her project is entitled "Getting a care partner for home dialysis." Getting a care partner for home dialysis Motivating patients to make the transition from in-center dialysis to home dialysis can be very challenging because it is an unknown and they are fearful. One way to help ease their fear is to have someone there to help them after they have gone through the training. Most states have some type of home health care program for chronically ill patients that provides ..read more

Our Patient Co-Investigator on our study, Peter Woods​, who suffers from 9/11-related lung, heart, and kidney ailments, fears COVID-19 would be "a death sentence". He was recently featured in a story about this in The City, an independent, nonprofit news outlet in New York. ​Click here to view the full story ..read more

Our Patient Co-Investigor on our study, Patty Danielson, has been on dialysis for more than 12 years. Most patients undergo dialysis three days a week for four hours at a time, which is risky during this time of the Coronavirus.  View Patty's full story on The Washington Post website here ..read more

End-stage renal disease (ESRD) occurs when chronic kidney disease reaches an advanced state. Early in chronic kidney disease, you may have no signs or symptoms. As chronic kidney disease progresses to end-stage renal disease, signs and symptoms might include:Nausea Vomiting Appetite Loss Fatigue + weakness Problems sleeping Changes in urination Decreased mental sharpness Muscle twitches and cramps Swelling of feet and ankles Persistent itching Chest pain, if fluid builds up around the lining of the heart Shortness of breath, if fluid builds up in the lungs High blood pressure  Signs and symp ..read more