New Mexico Kidney Foundation

EDUCATION IN THE COMMUNITY THE NEW MEXICO KIDNEY FOUNDATION IS INVESTED IN THE EDUCATION IN THE COMMUNITY. SINCE ITS INCEPTION WE HAVE SOUGHT TO EDUCATE THE PUBLIC IN DISEASE PREVENTION IN NEW MEXICO. THIS EDUCATION PROGRAM IS FREE AND IS OFFERED BY KIDNEY DOCTORS OR ADVANCED CARE PRACTITIONER WITH EXPERIENCE IN TREATING PATIENTS WITH KIDNEY DISEASES. THIS YEAR WE LAUNCHED OUR MONTHLY KIDNEY TALK ON FACEBOOK LIVE, TAKING THESE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC IN NEW MEXICO THROUGH WIDELY ACCESSIBLE SOCIAL MEDIA. WE HAVE EDUCATED OVER 2,000 COMMUNITY MEMBERS. EDUCATION IN THE SCHOOLS EDUCATION IN THE SCHOOLS HAS BECOME ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT PROJECTS OF THE FOUNDATION. IT AIMS TO RAISE AWARENESS AT AN EARLY AGE TO PREVENT DISEASE THROUGH LIFESTYLE CHANGES. BY PROMOTING HEATH LITERACY, FACTS, HEALTHY LIFESTYLE, AND REGULAR PEDIATRICIAN CHECKUPS, KIDNEY DISEASE CAN BE REDUCED AND PREVENTED OR IDENTIFIED EARLY. WE BELIEVE THAT EARLY EDUCATION IS A KEY TO PREVENTION! OUR GOAL IS TO EDUCATE STUDENTS ABOUT HEALTHY LIFESTYLE CHOICES, WHAT KIDNEYS DO AND THE RISKS OF KIDNEY DISEASES. NEW MEXICO KIDNEY FOUNDATION WELCOMED SIDNEY OUR HEALTHY KIDNEY MASCOT IN 2018. SIDNEY LIKES TO HELP OUR PROVIDERS TEACH YOUNG STUDENTS ABOUT HEALTHY LIFESTYLE CHOICES. A HEALTHCARE PROVIDER WILL COME TO INTERESTED SCHOOLS WITH SIDNEY AND OTHER EDUCATIONAL TOOLS TO TEACH ABOUT KIDNEYS. THIS YEAR SYDNEY WAS ABLE TO VISIT PUBLIC SCHOOLS AS WELL AS SCHOOL HEALTH FAIRS. ALTHOUGH WE HAVE VISITED MANY SCHOOLS IN THE NEW MEXICO IN THE PAST YEARS, WE HAVE WITH VERY GOOD FEEDBACK FROM TEACHERS AND STUDENTS. MEXICO KIDNEY FOUNDATION IS INTERESTED IN WORKING WITH STUDENTS OF ALL AGES. TALKS ARE GIVEN TO ALL GRADE LEVELS IN A CLASSROOM SETTING. WE WERE ABLE TO PRODUCE A QUALITY VIDEO TARGETED TO ELEMENTARY STUDENTS ABOUT KIDNEY HEALTH AND LIFESTYLE CHOICES. THIS VIDEO WAS DISTRIBUTED TO EVERY PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT AND CHARTER SCHOOL IN NEW MEXICO. THE DISTRIBUTION INCLUDED ADDITIONAL TOOLS, ACTIVITIES, AND WORKSHEETS FOR TEACHERS TO DOWNLOAD TO PROVIDE MORE STUDENT INVOLVEMENT AND ENCOURAGE ONGOING DISCUSSION ABOUT THIS IMPORTANT TOPIC. TO ENGAGE STUDENTS IN LEARNING ABOUT KIDNEY DISEASE AND ENCOURAGING LIFESTYLE CHANGES, WE CONDUCTED A COMPETITION AMONG MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS TO CREATE A SOCIAL MEDIA OR OTHER PRESENTATION THAT WOULD BE RELEVANT TO THEIR PEERS. IT IS OUR HOPE THAT BY EDUCATING YOUNG PEOPLE AT AN EARLY AGE ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF MAKING HEALTHY CHOICES, THE INCIDENCE OF KIDNEY DISEASE IN NEW MEXICO WILL BE SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCED. DATA WILL CONTINUE TO BE COLLECTED AND REVIEWED THROUGHOUT THE COURSE OF THIS PROGRAM TO MAKE IT EVER MORE EFFECTIVE IN EDUCATING YOUNG PEOPLE ABOUT KIDNEY HEALTH. PROVIDER EDUCATION THE NEW MEXICO KIDNEY FOUNDATION PROVIDES EDUCATION TO TECHNICIANS AND NURSES WHO ARE WORKING DIRECTLY WITH PEOPLE WITH END STAGE KIDNEY DISEASE/DIALYSIS. THE FOUNDATION CONDUCTS AN ANNUAL SYMPOSIUM, WITH TOPICS RELATED TO UPDATES THAT ENHANCE THE CARE OF INDIVIDUALS ON DIALYSIS. THE FOUNDATION IS PLANNING TO CONTINUE THIS EVENT AND BROADENING THE EVENT FOR PATIENTS ON DIALYSIS. SYMPOSIUM ATTENDANCE HAD BEEN AROUND 100-170 PARTICIPANTS FROM THROUGHOUT THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO, HOWEVER DUE TO THE COVID PANDEMIC, THIS LAST'S YEARS EVENT WAS HELD VIRTUALLY AND ATTENDANCE DECLINED. DENTAL SCHOLARSHIP THE NEW MEXICO KIDNEY FOUNDATION IS INVESTED IN ASSISTANCE TO INDIVIDUALS AFFECTED WITH END STAGE KIDNEY DISEASE AND ARE SEEKING TO RECEIVE A KIDNEY TRANSPLANT. KIDNEY TRANSPLANTATION IS THE BEST OPTION TO REPLACE A FAILED KIDNEY. HOWEVER, CANDIDATES MUST COMPLETE CERTAIN CLEARANCE REQUIREMENTS. MANY CANDIDATES NEED TO HAVE DENTAL HEALTH CLEARANCE TO GET ON THE NATIONAL TRANSPLANT LIST. DENTAL CARE IS EXPENSIVE, AND MANY PATIENTS CANNOT AFFORD DENTAL INSURANCE. THE FOUNDATION HAS PROVIDED 24 SCHOLARSHIPS TO PATIENTS TO DATE. THE FOUNDATION PAYS FOR EITHER THE REQUIRED DENTAL INSURANCE OR THE FOUNDATION PAYS THE DENTAL OFFICES DIRECTLY WHERE THE DENTAL SERVICES WERE PROVIDED.