Kidneys On Patrol

March, as every man, woman and child in America knows, is National Kidney Month.

The renal version of Mardi Gras, the Super Bowl and Independence Day, all rolled into a giant kidney-shaped ball.

Whoopee!

For some reason, I'm even more excited about this year's festival of function – highlighted by World Kidney Day Thursday, March 14 – than usual. So I'm getting an early jump on things. Maybe it's because I feel I've become more immersed in the kidney community in Illinois, the state where I live, than ever.

And one of the coolest things about NKFI, the National Kidney Foundation of Illinois, is its funding and perpetuation of the KidneyMobile, a fully equipped van that circles the state providing information about kidney disease and free screenings of blood sugar, blood pressure and urinalysis. People who get tested also have the opportunity to meet with a healthcare professional to review their results and discuss next steps.

And believe you me, when it comes to your kidneys, knowledge truly is power!

Here's a closer look at the KidneyMobile, thanks to this new NKFI video:

If you're in the Chicago area, I'll be joining in the World Kidney Day celebration on Thursday, March 14 at the Ray and Joan Kroc Community Center, 1250 West 119th Street. The event begins with a press conference at 10 a.m. at which Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White and several other Windy City bigwigs will speak, followed at 10:30 by five hours of free screenings for anybody willing to sit down and get tested. 

It's a big day for kidneys all over the earth!

For more information on World Kidney Day, check out this web page from the National Kidney Foundation. For more information on the Chicago festivities, call NKFI at (312) 321-1500.

Happy Peeing, Everyone!