Events - Alaska Kidney Patients Association

Kidney Transplant Workshop

The Alaska Kidney Patients Association hosts Kidney Transplant Workshops for Alaskans who are considering a kidney transplant, waiting for a referral to a transplant center or on the waitlist at a transplant hospital. Topics usually covered: finding a living kidney donor, the transplant process, answering your questions about a kidney transplant. We normally partner with a Seattle based transplant center and have a experienced transplant coordinator available to answer your questions.

Next Kidney Transplant Workshop is on Monday, October 23, 2023 in Anchorage. For folks outside of Anchorage the workshop will be available via Zoom.

Mark Brody Memorial Food Drive

Take a Lifesaving Step for Alaska's Kidneys at the Mark Brody Memorial Kidney Walk. The positive energy of people at the Kidney Walk is inspiring and amazing. That’s because the Kidney Walk isn’t just about kidney disease. We are walking for Alaska’s kidney patients, transplant recipients, transplant candidates, living kidney donors, families and people at risk.

Join other kidney donors, recipients, & their families at the Walk to celebrate the gift of life & each other.

FREE Kidney Health Screenings

According to the CDC, almost 30 million Americans – more than 1 in 7 adults - may have chronic kidney disease, and most don’t know it. They reported that approximately 1 in 3 adults with diabetes and 1 in 5 adults with high blood pressure may have chronic kidney disease. Early detection and treatment, including lifestyle changes, may SLOW or PREVENT the progression to kidney failure. People with chronic kidney disease (CKD) may not feel ill or notice any symptoms. The only way to find out for sure if you have CKD is through specific blood and urine tests. These tests include measurement of both the creatinine level in the blood and protein in the urine.

Early detection and treatment, including lifestyle changes, may SLOW or PREVENT the progression to kidney failure. Be good to your kidneys so they will last you the rest of your life.

If you have diabetes or high blood pressure, the Alaska Kidney Patients Association strongly encourages you to schedule an appointment for a free kidney health.

The AKPA is partnering with the Alaska Health Fair to provide at risk Alaskans with Free Kidney Health Screenings this fall.

Living Kidney Donor Workshops

Alaska Kidney Patients Association has FREE interactive workshop where you can learn about living kidney donation, whats involved, how to find a living kidney donor. Meet with living kidney donors and living kidney donor transplant recipients and listen to their stories. This is where you will be able to have all your questions about living kidney donation answered along with learning about the transplant process.

Professional Renal Education Conference

The conference provides the only renal specific education in Alaska, addressing relevant issues suggested by staff at dialysis clinics and nephrologist offices, and offering renal specific continuing education for nurses, social workers, dietitians, and techs.

The 2023 Professional Renal Education Conference will be October 22, 2023 at Lucy Cuddy Hall at the University of Anchorage.

Annual Kidney Education Symposium

The Alaska Kidney Patients Association facilitates an annual Kidney Education Symposium with speakers providing learning for individuals experiencing reduced kidney function, persons at risk for kidney disease, dialysis patients, transplant recipients, their families and caretakers. The one day symposium includes keynote speakers, topic specific breakout sessions, and the opportunity to ask questions of the expert speakers. Speakers are all professionals connected with kidney disease – Physicians, Nurse Practitioners, Renal Dietitians, Kidney Transplant Coordinator (from major transplant center in Seattle) and Renal Social Workers. Some past topics and patient favorites are: Things Every Kidney Patient Should Know, Is Transplant for You?, Protecting Kidney Function, Foot Care for CKD and Diabetic Patients, Finding a Living Donor, ESRD/Transplant Medicare Coverage.