[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 158 (2012), Part 2]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 2843]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                   IN HONOR OF NATIONAL KIDNEY MONTH

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. JIM McDERMOTT

                             of washington

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, March 1, 2012

  Mr. McDERMOTT. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to give recognition to 
Kidney Action Day today March 1st and World Kidney Day on March 8, 
2012. I would also like to recognize the month of March as National 
Kidney Month.
   As one out of nine Americans suffers from kidney related disease, it 
is more prudent than ever to devote time, resources and compassion to 
this community. We must raise awareness and encourage screening in 
order to catch the disease early. There are 31 million Americans 
affected by kidney disease, and we should do everything in our power to 
make sure this number does not rise.
   As a physician, I have seen the devastating effects of Chronic 
Kidney Disease, especially in the end stages. The two leading causes of 
this disease are high blood pressure and diabetes, both ailments which 
would spare the kidneys if patients were screened early and managed 
properly thereafter. As there is no cure for Chronic Kidney Disease, it 
is in our nation's best interest to help everyone gain access to the 
resources needed in order to prevent this disease from progressing. 
Prevention is crucial.
   For those who do have kidney diseases that progress, dialysis and 
transplant become the only options. The world's first outpatient 
dialysis facility opened 50 years ago in my district in Seattle, and 
although technologies continue to improve, the basic idea remains the 
same: Patients with end-stage renal disease are dependent on access to 
dialysis centers to survive. We must continue to fully fund the 
Medicare ESRD program, as well as advance kidney disease research at 
the NIDDK (National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney 
Diseases).
   Today, I join other members from both sides of the aisle to attend 
Kidney Action Day events on Capitol Hill. I encourage my fellow members 
to join me in helping to spread awareness about a cause that affects us 
all. I hope we will all stand together to fight Kidney Disease and 
support those living with the disease every day, as well as their 
families.

                          ____________________