News & Events
Discover new information and educational offerings that we provide. Explore our newsletters, blogs and upcoming webinars/conference calls.
Contents:
Recipe of the Month: Zucchini Cake
September's featured recipe, Zucchini Cake, is an excellent way to put your summer's end abundance of zucchini to use!
Insomnia
Insomnia is often a constant complaint for a great deal of renal patients. It can be especially annoying when one has to get up early the next day for whatever reason. Sleep is necessary and the deprivation of sleep can affect the body in many ways. DaVita Kidney Care has outlined why insomnia may occur and tips to help avoid insomnia. The following information can be found on DaVita's website (davita.com). Sleep Issues and Chronic Kidney Disease People with chronic kidney disease (CKD) often have trouble falling asleep and staying asleep. Your physical and mental health can contribute to your sleep problems. These are some common causes for disrupted sleep patterns in kidney disease patients. Restless leg syndrome Restless leg syndrome (RLS) [...]
August is National Immunization Awareness
Many experts recommend that dialysis and transplant patients get timely immunizations and vaccinations. These patients are at a higher risk of developing serious complications from infections because of their immune systems. We suggest that patients speak to their respective medical providers with any questions or concerns that may arise about recommended vaccinations and immunizations. The following information can be found on the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (www.cbp.gov) website, an official website of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. August is National Immunization Awareness Month (NIAM). NIAM raises the awareness about why vaccines are important for people of all ages and how they can help prevent serious, sometimes deadly, diseases and illnesses. NIAM is now more [...]
Recipe of the Month: Shrimp Scampi
August's featured recipe, Shrimp Scampi, is the perfect for when you don't want to spend longer than a few minutes cooking on a hot stove.
Humid Heat Impacts Dialysis Patients
When summer hits, renal patients have another element that they must consider when thinking about their health, the heat. And while dry heat alone is problematic for patients, the effect is even greater when it is humid.
Dialysis Patient Citizens and the DPC Education Center Mourn the Loss of Pius Charles Murray
DPC and the DPC Education Center mourn the loss of Board Member, Pius Charles Murray.
Don’t Sweat It! – Tips for Renal Patients During Summer Heat
Summer is here and this time of year can be especially challenging for dialysis patients! No matter how thirsty you are, you must still monitor your fluid intake. At the Dialysis Patient Citizens Education Center, we are continuously researching and sharing information that can improve the quality of life of renal patients. This article focuses on fluid intake and thirst tips and is provided by Fresenius Kidney Care (freseniuskidneycare.com) and DaVita (davita.com). The following information is provided by Fresenius Kidney Care. Dialysis works to remove excess fluid from your blood, so it’s important to manage your fluid intake. Fluids are typically limited on a dialysis diet, and the exact amount you should have each day may [...]
Recipe of the Month: Coconut Curry Chicken
July's featured recipe, Coconut Curry Chicken, is the perfect set it and forget it crockpot meal for when it’s just too hot to cook.
A Must Read for Dialysis Patients
Infection prevention is important for everyone, but especially for dialysis patients. Learn some important steps you can take to keep yourself safe.
Recipe of the Month: Fettuccine with Zucchini and Squash
June's featured recipe, Fettuccine with Zucchini Squash, is a quick, light, and bright summer dinner idea.
DPC Ed Center E-Newsletter May 2024 : New Kidney Citizen Out Now! All About Phosphorus, Kidney Chat at 2pm ET, Recipe of the Month, LIVE Events & Recordings
Enjoy Your Life!, Kidney Chat at 2pm ET, Recipe of the Month, LIVE Events & Recordings
Understanding the Impact of Phosphorus in Renal Patients
A look into what phosphorus is, what is does in the body, and what it means for renal patients.
DPC Raises Alarm on Health Workforce Shortages
Jackson Williams, DPC Vice President of Public Policy Fifteen years ago, the Institute of Medicine report, “Retooling for an Aging America: Building the Health Care Workforce,” warned of looming health workforce shortages due to demographic changes. Has the era foreseen by that report arrived? Media reports indicate numerous instances of hospitals declaring “contingency standards of care” or ordering ambulance diversions due to staffing shortages. Average emergency department visit times have risen to 160 minutes, up from 143 minutes in 2020, according to government statistics. Medicare beneficiaries who are intermittent users of health care facilities will probably not know when care is not timely or delivered to standards. But patients with ESRD, who [...]
Recipe of the Month: Peach Cobbler
May’s featured recipe, Peach Cobbler, is the perfect summer dessert!
DPC’s 2023 Advocacy Day
Megan Hashbarger, DPC Vice President of Government Relations In October 2023, DPC held its’ annual Advocacy Day in Washington, D.C. This year, we were able to bring over 50 patients to D.C. from 23 different states. Unfortunately, due to Covid complications and for the best safety of our patients, we did end up having to make their Hill meetings virtual. Despite this, we were still able to meet with almost 60 Congressional offices about issues facing dialysis patients such as the need for access to Medigap and private insurance. We were also able to host a day of advocacy training for our patient ambassadors, bringing in stakeholders from various sectors, including Chris [...]
How Transplant Changed My Life Forever
Adrian Ropp, DPC Patient Ambassador It was Christmas and I was home to visit my parents for the holidays. It was the first time I had traveled there in a year without my dialysis equipment or a schedule to visit a clinic. A brave police officer named Albert had recently lost his life, but he had registered as an organ donor. Because of this, I was celebrating a Christmas I had not expected. It happened (and believe me, it is a story that would take this whole article) that my savior’s family - his wife Lori and their three children, lived in my parents’ hometown. We had made plans to meet for [...]
Ask the Doctor April 2024
Velma Scantlebury, MD, DPC Education Center Health Care Consultant 1. Will a transplanted patient who receives a kidney from a diabetic individual become diabetic? Diabetes results from a lack of the ability of your body to produce/and or use insulin effectively. If a kidney is used from a deceased donor who is diabetic, it is often biopsied to make sure that the kidney is not damaged from diabetes. Some transplant patients are at risk of becoming diabetic due to the anti-rejection medications used, including the use of steroids to treat rejection episodes. Therefore, your risk of becoming diabetic is related to your underlying family history, weight gain, and medications used after the [...]
