Still continuing to fight a good fight of FAITH; and understanding that recovery is about one day at a time- with that said I CHOOSE TO LIVE MY BEST LIFE in journaling my journey of battling kidney failure (ESRD)…raise awareness and offer support along with resources for my fellow kidney warriors my prayer is that this will help those who are challenged with this disease. 

On May 19th 2019 I walked a 5K along with my Kidney Warrior Squad, Davita Medical Group and many more across the nation- this was so AWESOME! The positive energy of thousands of people at the Kidney Walk was invigorating, inspiring and amazing.

Why I Walk

Right now, 30 million American adults are living with kidney disease. I walk because 1 in 3 people are at risk for kidney disease. I walk because 1 in 7 people have it, but most don't know it. (I was one of them) I walk for patents, families, and people at risk.

That’s because the Kidney Walk is not just about kidney disease. It’s about people. It's about the patients, families, and people at risk. It's about individuals walking to help improve and extend people's lives. It's about people from across the country raising vital funds and helping the National Kidney Foundation (NKF) expand the public conversation from kidney disease to kidney health.

​Why We Walk
Right now, 30 million American adults are living with kidney disease and that’s not okay. My team is walking with more than 5,500 teams from across the country to raise vital funds and help the National Kidney Foundation (NKF) expand the public conversation from kidney disease to kidney health. 

• We Walk so that trained, caring professionals can provide information, support and resources to people affected by kidney disease through a toll-free patient help line and email.
• We Walk to support advocacy efforts that improve the quality of life for kidney patients and reduce transplant waiting times.
• We Walk to fund NKF Research Grant initiatives, including the Young Investigator Grants program for promising, young scientists.
• We Walk to provide free, local KEEP Healthy® events throughout the United States where patients are tested for kidney disease risk factors and receive educational information and a clinician consultation.

DID YOU KNOW:
There are many Americans in the US have kidney disease but most don't know it. Kidney's are our body’s small organ, but powerful, chemical factories; working 24/7 to remove waste and keep our blood pressure in check. As a matter of fact, when kidneys stop working, so do you.

My heart is so full-- I really want to thank all of you in donating to the #NKF on my behalf raising over a thousand dollars and still growing- Thank you, Thank you from the bottom of my heart for your generous giving love and continued support across the globe. 

Thank you again for your continued support and donations. Some of the funds you donated will go towards KEEP Healthy events that provide free kidney health checks for people at risk. The KEEP Healthy program reaches into communities to find kidney disease and educates tens of thousands about kidney disease risk factors, as well as steps they can take to keep kidneys healthy.
​

Still continuing to fight a good fight of FAITH; and understanding that recovery is about one day at a time- with that said I CHOOSE TO LIVE MY BEST LIFE in journaling my journey of battling kidney failure (ESRD)…raise awareness and offer support along with resources for my fellow kidney warriors my prayer is that this will help those who are challenged with this disease. 

Kidney Disease-The kidneys are two bean-shaped organs. Each kidney is about the size of a fist. Your kidneys filter extra water and wastes out of your blood and make urine. Kidney disease means your kidneys are damaged and can’t filter blood the way they should. You are at greater risk for kidney disease if you have diabetes or high blood pressure. If you experience kidney failure, treatments include kidney transplant or dialysis. Other kidney problems include acute kidney injury, kidney cysts, kidney stones, and kidney infections.

How common is diabetes? As of 2015, 30.3 million people in the United States, or 9.4 percent of the population, had diabetes. More than 1 in 4 of them didn’t know they had the disease. Diabetes affects 1 in 4 people over the age of 65. About 90-95 percent of cases in adults are type 2 diabetes.

What is Diabetes? According to The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases
Health Information Center Diabetes is a disease that occurs when your blood glucose, also called blood sugar, is too high. Blood glucose is your main source of energy and comes from the food you eat. Insulin, a hormone made by the pancreas, helps glucose from food get into your cells to be used for energy. Sometimes your body doesn’t make enough—or any—insulin or doesn’t use insulin well. Glucose then stays in your blood and doesn’t reach your cells.
Over time, having too much glucose in your blood can cause health problems. Although diabetes has no cure, you can take steps to manage your diabetes and stay healthy.

Sometimes people call diabetes “a touch of sugar” or “borderline diabetes.” These terms suggest that someone doesn’t really have diabetes or has a less serious case, but every case of diabetes is serious.

What are the different types of diabetes?The most common types of diabetes are type 1, type 2, and gestational diabetes.

Type 1 diabetes If you have type 1 diabetes, your body does not make insulin. Your immune system attacks and destroys the cells in your pancreas that make insulin. Type 1 diabetes is usually diagnosed in children and young adults, although it can appear at any age. People with type 1 diabetes need to take insulin every day to stay alive.

Type 2 diabetes If you have type 2 diabetes, your body does not make or use insulin well. You can develop type 2 diabetes at any age, even during childhood. However, this type of diabetes occurs most often in middle-aged and older people.
Type 2 is the most common type of diabetes.

Gestational diabetes Gestational diabetes develops in some women when they are pregnant. Most of the time, this type of diabetes goes away after the baby is born. However, if you’ve had gestational diabetes, you have a greater chance of developing type 2 diabetes later in life. Sometimes diabetes diagnosed during pregnancy is actually type 2 diabetes.
Other types of diabetes Less common types include monogenic diabetes, which is an inherited form of diabetes, and cystic fibrosis-related diabetes.

Who is more likely to develop type 2 diabetes?You are more likely to develop type 2 diabetes if you are age 45 or older, have a family history of diabetes, or are overweight. Physical inactivity, race, and certain health problems such as high blood pressure also affect your chance of developing type 2 diabetes. You are also more likely to develop type 2 diabetes if you have prediabetes or had gestational diabetes when you were pregnant. Learn more about risk factors for type 2 diabetes.
What health problems can people with diabetes develop?Over time, high blood glucose leads to problems such as

• heart disease
• stroke
• kidney disease
• eye problems
• dental disease
• nerve damage
• foot problems

You can take steps to lower your chances of developing these diabetes-related health problems.

DID YOU KNOW​
According to the National Kidney Foundation Nearly half of African Americans have at least one risk factor for kidney disease, but less than 3% say they believe kidney disease is a "top health concern," according to research released in the American Journal of Kidney Diseases, the publication of the National Kidney Foundation.

Due to high rates of diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease, Blacks and African Americans have an increased risk of developing kidney failure. Blacks and African Americans need to be aware of these risk factors and visit their doctor or clinic regularly to check their blood sugar, blood pressure, urine protein and kidney function.

• Blacks and African Americans suffer from kidney failure at a significantly higher rate than Caucasians - more than 3 times higher.
• African Americans constitute more than 35% of all patients in the U.S. receiving dialysis for kidney failure, but only represent 13.2% of the overall U.S. population.
• Diabetes is the leading cause of kidney failure in African Americans. African Americans are twice as likely to be diagnosed with diabetes as Caucasians. Approximately 4.9 million African Americans over 20 years of age are living with either diagnosed or undiagnosed diabetes.
• The most common type of diabetes in African Americans is type 2 diabetes. The risk factors for this type of diabetes include: family history, impaired glucose tolerance, diabetes during pregnancy, hyperinsulinemia and insulin resistance, obesity and physical inactivity. African Americans with diabetes are more likely to develop complications of diabetes and to have greater disability from these complications than Caucasians. African Americans are also more likely to develop serious complications such as heart disease and strokes.
• High blood pressure is the second leading cause of kidney failure among African Americans, and remains the leading cause of death due to its link with heart attacks and strokes.

​THE BIG ASK: 
March was Kidney Month I will be joining the National Kidney Foundation for the 2019 Long Island Kidney Walk! You can support my efforts by making a small donation today on my behalf Kidney Walk! PLEASE CLICK ON KidneyWarriorLaTanyha  to donate…Thank You for your continued support in my fight.
​
Get help navigating the challenges of kidney disease, organ donation and transplantation.
Toll–free1.855.NKF.CARES (1.855.653.2273) nkfcares@kidney.org or National Kidney Foundation https://www.kidney.org/ 
All other questions: Call our Main NKF
# 1.800.622.9010
2019 Long Island Kidney Walk
Sun, 05/19/2019 - 9:30am
West Babylon, New York
Register Now

As I continue to fight a good fight of FAITH; and journaling my journey of battling kidney failure…raise awareness and offer support along with resources for my fellow kidney warriors my prayer is that this will help those who are challenged with this disease. 





​DID YOU KNOW:
Your kidneys are vital organs. You need them to live, just like you nee your hear and lungs. They filter waste and extra fluid out of your blood to make urine. Your kidneys also do other important jobs including: 
*Control chemicals and fluid in your body
*Help control your blood pressure
-Help your body to make red blood cells 

When it comes to vital organs, hearts get all the love. But kidneys are just as essential to keeping us healthy. They are our body’s small, but powerful, chemical factories; working 24/7 to remove waste and keep our blood pressure in check. As a matter of fact, when kidneys stop working, so do you. Here are the 5 top jobs healthy kidneys perform.

1. Remove waste from the body Think of your kidneys as your body’s filter. The kidneys perform their life-sustaining job of filtering and returning to the bloodstream about 200 quarts of blood each day. 1-2 quarts are eliminated from the body in the form of urine which contains wastes and extra fluid. This prevents buildup of wastes to keep your body healthy.

2. Regulate blood pressure Healthy kidneys produce a hormone called renin to help the body control blood pressure and cause blood vessels to constrict. Kidneys can ask for higher pressure if it seems too low, or try to lower pressure if it seems too high.

3. Control the production of red blood cells Your kidneys make a hormone called erythropoietin. Erythropoietin tells bone marrow to make red blood cells. Red blood cells carry oxygen from your lungs to supply all your body's needs. Red blood cells give you the energy you need for daily activities.

4. Produce an active form of vitamin D for healthy bones Vitamin D comes from two sources in people: exposure to the sun's ultraviolet B radiation, or absorption from food or vitamin pills. Kidneys convert vitamin D from supplements or the sun to the active form of vitamin D that is needed by the body.

5. Control pH Levels pH is a measure of acid and base. Your kidneys maintain a healthy balance of the chemicals that control acid levels. As cells break down, they make acids. The foods you eat can either increase or lower the amount of acid in your body. Your kidneys balance the pH of your body by either removing or adjusting the right amounts of acid and buffering agents. Let's give kidneys some love - heart your kidneys for a change-Go ahead and Take the Interactive Kidney Quiz. It's fun, quick and informative.   

THE BIG ASK: 
March was Kidney Month I will be joining the National Kidney Foundation for the 2019 Long Island Kidney Walk! You can support my efforts by making a small donation today on my behalf Kidney Walk! PLEASE CLICK ON KidneyWarriorLaTanyha  to donate…Thank You for your continued support in my fight.

Get help navigating the challenges of kidney disease, organ donation and transplantation.
Toll–free1.855.NKF.CARES (1.855.653.2273) nkfcares@kidney.org or National Kidney Foundation https://www.kidney.org/ 
All other questions: Call our Main NKF
# 1.800.622.9010
2019 Long Island Kidney Walk
Sun, 05/19/2019 - 9:30am
West Babylon, New York
Register Now
​