The George Washington University (GW) Ron and Joy Paul Kidney Center and the GW Transplant Institute received the 2019 National Kidney Foundation Community Partnership Award at the 39th Annual Kidney Ball on Nov. 23 in Washington, D.C.
The GW Ron and Joy Paul Kidney Center, housed within the GW School of Medicine and Health Sciences, and the GW Transplant Institute, housed within GW Hospital, were established to meet a vital need for kidney disease education, free kidney screenings, and easier access to organ donation and transplantation services in the Washington, D.C. area.
Since its launch in 2015, the GW Transplant Institute has performed more than 250 kidney transplants, including complex kidney transplant procedures, such as living donor paired kidney exchanges, ABO incompatible transplants, and desensitization for transplant. Partnering with the National Kidney Foundation (NKF), the GW Ron and Joy Paul Kidney Center has educated and screened thousands for kidney disease in the local area. Most critically, these education and screening efforts have helped catch kidney disease at its early stages, helping many D.C.-area residents seek treatment to reverse the effects of the disease without ever needing dialysis or a kidney transplant.
Both organizations also partnered with the NKF to host the first-ever Big Ask: Big Give workshop nationally – an NKF program that helps give potential transplant recipients the tools and training they need to find a living donor.
Fueled by passion and urgency, NKF is a lifeline for all people affected by kidney disease. As pioneers of scientific research and innovation, NKF focuses on the whole patient through the lens of kidney health. The NKF works to enhance lives through action, education, and accelerating change. The Kidney Ball is meant to celebrate progress and fundraise for future efforts.
In addition to the GW Ron and Joy Paul Kidney Center and the GW Transplant Institute, Doug Kammerer, chief meteorologist at NBC4, and SAP NS2, a national security services firm, were also honored at this year’s Kidney Ball. Kammerer received the Community Service Award and SAP NS2 received the Corporate Citizen Award.
To learn more about the 39th Annual Kidney Ball, visit kidneyballdc.org/.
To learn more about the education and screening efforts being made by the GW Ron and Joy Paul Kidney Center and the GW Transplant Institute, visit gwkidney.org/.