Hot Topics in Kidney Health National Kidney Foundation

When will the artificial kidney be ready for human use? Learn more about the progress of the artificial kidney and how it will affect someone’s quality of life from expert Shuvo Roy, Ph.D.

When a kidney from a deceased donor becomes available, it is scored on a system called the Kidney Donor Profile Index (KDPI). How does the KDPI work and is it accurate at predicting possible transplant survival compared to a lower KDPI donation or a living donor? On this episode, we speak with experts to get the facts.

It’s hard to keep up with all the new diets that cycle through news outlets and social media. Do you know which ones are right for you and your kidney health? On this episode, you will hear from experts on how to find the diet that’s right for you and how to stick to it.

Holidays can be difficult for individuals with CKD. Tune in to gain insight into the patient holiday experience and how professional teams can provide education for patients to ensure the best holiday outcomes.
 
In this episode we spoke with,
 
Dori Muench, LCSW, CCTSW, FNKF
Osama El Shamy, MD
Jesse Engelken, MPH, RDN, LD,CD
Joyce Vergili, EdD, RD, CSR, CDN
Malenia Alvarez, kidney patient
Nupur Gupta, MD
Elizabeth Shanaman, RD, CD, FAND
Candria Denzmore, patient advocate 
 
Do you have comments, questions, or suggestions? Email us at NKFpodcast@kidney.org. Also, make sure to rate and review us wherever you listen to podcasts.
 

Coping with kidney disease and dialysis can be difficult. Sometimes you have to think outside the box! Have you considered music or art therapy? Today Social Worker Melissa Fry and patient Steve Light are here to share their experiences with using music and art as coping strategies.
In this episode we spoke with, 
Melissa Fry, MSW, CAPSW is a dialysis social worker at Mile Bluff Medical Center. She has worked in the dialysis unit for the past 25 years. She has focused on assisting her patients with anxiety, depression and other mental health issues. She has used music as one technique to assist her patients with coping with various life stressors.
Steven Light is an artist from Swindon UK. He used his art as a way to express himself though a second wave of kidney failure, and created an exhibition around this experience called ‘Fistula’. His brother lovingly donated a kidney to him in July 2022 and both have fully recovered.
 
Additional Resources 
Effect of music therapy on dialysis patients
 
Do you have comments, questions, or suggestions? Email us at NKFpodcast@kidney.org. Also, make sure to rate and review us wherever you listen to podcasts.

You may have heard the buzzword superfoods but what are they and do they have special qualities? Board-certified renal dietitian, Jen Hernadez is here to break it down.
 
In this episode we spoke with,
Jen Hernandez RDN, CSR, LDN- Jen Hernandez is a registered dietitian and a certified specialist in renal nutrition. She has served the kidney community in dialysis clinics as well as with the National Kidney Foundation of Hawaii to help spread awareness of kidney disease and strive for prevention with early detection and interventions. In 2018, Jen founded Plant-Powered Kidneys. Jen uses her virtual private practice to help people in all stages of kidney disease, from stage one through transplant, to provide evidence-based nutrition guidelines and recommendations. The clients and students of Plant-Powered Kidneys learn and implement the fundamentals to keep their kidney function so that they can delay or even prevent kidney failure and the need for dialysis.
 
Additional Resources 
Superfoods 
Superfoods Blog
 
Do you have comments, questions, or suggestions? Email us at NKFpodcast@kidney.org. Also, make sure to rate and review us wherever you listen to podcasts.