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d Kidney Day 2023, a global campaign focusing on the importance of kidney health and reducing the impact of kidney disease, is March 9. An estimated 37 million Americans have chronic kidney disease, although hundreds of thousands of cases are believed to be undiagnosed.
Kidney disease is the tenth leading cause of death in the United States, and it’s the ninth in Illinois. World Kidney Day aims to raise awareness of kidney disease, which can affect everyone. The campaign aims to educate people about the illness and encourage early screening, particularly for high-risk groups. Members of black and brown communities are encouraged to have early screening performed as their demographic poses a high risk of kidney disease.
To mark World Kidney Day and address barriers to equitable access to health care in Illinois, Community Health Workers are hosting health fairs in Melrose Park and Anna with support from the Illinois Public Health Association and the National Kidney Foundation of Illinois. This year represents the first time World Kidney Day has taken place in southern Illinois – a region with a long history of extraordinary disenfranchisement and hesitancy to public health services.
Participation in World Kidney Day in Anna and Melrose Park is free. There are no residency or health insurance requirements, so participants from neighboring states are welcome.