October 14, 2025 • 30 mins
Community DC Host Dennis Glasgow visits with National Kidney Foundation, National Capital Area Executive Director Michele Anthony, topics include: Education, Diagnosis, Treatment, Research, Upcoming Events, Donations, Advocacy and much more!
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:01):
Good morning, and welcome to another edition of Community DC.
I'm your host Dennis Glasgow. This morning, we welcome back
to the program Michelle Anthony, who's been the executive director
for the National Kidney Foundation National Capital Area since twenty fourteen.
For those new to learning about kidney disease, we'll have
all the facts, info and data, and we'll also talk
about new things, including upcoming events, research donations, and much
(00:24):
more over the next thirty minutes. Here's my conversation with Michelle.
I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
Good morning, Michelle.
Speaker 2 (00:30):
How are you Dennis? Thanks so much for having me on.
Speaker 1 (00:33):
I'm well and thank you and welcome back. It's great
to always talk to you every six months or so
when we chat with you about the National Kidney Foundation
for Capital Area. So what I'd like to do. I
know you've been a regular guest and a lot of
our listeners know about you and the National Kidney Foundation,
but there are a lot of new listeners that probably
have heard of you but don't know exactly what you do.
So can you give an overview for everybody?
Speaker 3 (00:56):
Sure, we are the National Kidney Foundation serving the National
Capital Area and Virginia. We consolidated with that office in
the past year. So our service areas DC and Southern
Maryland and all of Virginia.
Speaker 2 (01:11):
DC is an area that is hard hit.
Speaker 3 (01:13):
It's got one of the highest rates of kidney disease
in the nation, unfortunately. So we provide programs and services
for patients, for professionals, renal professionals, primary care physicians, the
general public, people at risk for kidney disease.
Speaker 2 (01:31):
We also do a.
Speaker 3 (01:32):
Variety of fundraising to support the programs, both locally.
Speaker 2 (01:37):
And at the national level.
Speaker 3 (01:38):
We're headquartered in New York City and we have sixteen
offices across the country plus some affiliates, so we are
in every community across the United States.
Speaker 1 (01:49):
So in my open I didn't do a justice and
we will talk a lot about this, but it's the
seventy fifth anniversary and I know that's a real big deal,
so we'll chat about that, events, programs, and I also
want to talk to you bout data. And I realized
that data, especially in your AINA, is very fluid. But
as we talk about the DMV and just the regions
that you tackle, and then maybe you can share some
(02:10):
national numbers with us when it comes to kidney disease.
What are we looking at today in twenty twenty five
or the latest data that you have.
Speaker 3 (02:17):
Yes, as I mentioned, we have among the highest rates
of kidney disease in the nation. We have seven hundred
thousand patients in the DMV and I've actually got to
pull some numbers for the state of Virginia as well.
But unfortunately, one in seven people, one in seven adults
has chronic kidney disease. That's fifteen percent of the adults
(02:42):
in the nation, which is an astounding number. And one
in three people is at risk for kidney disease due
to diabetes and hypertension, which are the leading causes of
kidney failure of kidney disease. So the numbers are staggering,
and unfortunately the diagnosis rates are very low. There's not
(03:04):
enough testing for people who are at risk for kidney disease.
The testing rates are only about twenty percent in our
local area. So people should be tested if they do
have diabetes or hypertension. Simple tests urine a blood test
that you can get from your primary care doctor. Early
(03:25):
diagnosis means that we can make interventions so that you
don't have to progress to kidney failure. In many cases,
diet and lifestyle changes can prevent kidney disease from progressing. So,
you know, prevention is a really big part of what
we do. And of course we you know, we have
a lot of programs and focus on treatment when people
(03:49):
unfortunately when their kidneys fail, there's dialysis and transplantation. We
have a big focus on home hemo dialysis. A lot
of people think about dietalysis says sitting in a center,
sitting in one of those chairs for four hours, three
times a week. That hemo dialysis option is now available
(04:12):
in homes. You get you get training, you have to
have a care partner, but it really improves the lives
of people who are on dialysis if they don't have
to travel. Think about you know, rural patients and what
a wonderful thing it is for them to be able
to dialize at home.
Speaker 2 (04:30):
So it's really important.
Speaker 3 (04:32):
It's one of our you know, we're pushing some national legislation,
you know, on the federal level so that people do
get more education about home dialysis and you know where
we do some other some other things as well that
are really important, like in addition to prevention and home dialysis,
(04:53):
you know, transplants, really ensuring equity in transplantation, making sure
that transplant options are available discussed with patients not always
the case, So making sure that people know about all
their various options. So we do local programs, national programs
that focus on educating patients and potential living donors.
Speaker 2 (05:16):
Another really important one.
Speaker 3 (05:18):
Some people don't know still that they can donate a
kidney and be perfectly fine and live a perfectly normal life.
So we do like to educate people about that opportunity.
There are people, there are wonderful people who are out
there who want to do it, who want it even
to a stranger, donate a kidney to make someone's life
(05:39):
better or to save a life. So those are some
of our big advocacy priorities right now.
Speaker 1 (05:47):
Michelle, you talked a little bit about some of the
ailments that people have when it comes to kidney disease,
and I'm curious, and I know you and I have
talked to this before, but once again, as we educate
our listener when it comes to a certain sex or
a gender, or a race, or any type of person,
whether it's young, middle age, or old, when it comes
to kidney disease, does it discriminate or can it attack everybody?
(06:09):
Can you kind of share a little bit more about
your knowledge on that.
Speaker 2 (06:13):
Yeah, it actually can.
Speaker 3 (06:15):
Kidney disease can attack anybody at any time. There are
children who sometimes you know, there are genetic causes so
that children might have kidney disease, might go on dialysis.
Speaker 2 (06:29):
I mean as.
Speaker 3 (06:30):
Heartbreaking as that as that is, seniors are at greater
risk because your kidney function declines over time. There are
certain groups that are at higher risk. African Americans are
four times as likely as whites to develop kidney disease,
(06:50):
Hispanics Latinos one and a half times more so than whites.
But really it's a non discriminating disease in general, So
that's why it's so important to know, you know risk factors.
And it's a very silent disease as well. So you
can be progressing along the scale of you know, one
(07:14):
to five towards kidney failure and not really and feel
perfectly normal until the end, and then there's a lot
of you know youurination problems, swelling, soreness, ache, things like
that start to happen.
Speaker 2 (07:30):
When you are near kidney failure.
Speaker 3 (07:33):
But getting those tests if you're at risk, you know,
is vitally important.
Speaker 1 (07:39):
Well, if you could kind of share about testing because
a lot of people say, okay, you've scared me, Michelle,
and rightly so too, because it can happen to anybody.
With that said, when it comes to testing whether you're
predisposed or not, and somebody's talking with her GP, how
does the testing work in what does it consist of.
Speaker 2 (07:56):
It's very simple.
Speaker 3 (07:57):
You can go to your doctor and you can ask
for the kidney profile. It's a urine test called UACR
and a blood test called EGFR, two simple tests. You
can find out more on our website at kidney dot org.
A lot we are really working with health systems across
the country so that they do work this into their
(08:19):
protocols so that if people present with diabetes or hypertension,
that they check a box and they order the kidney profile.
Very simple, and that those two tests will give a
very clear picture of your kidney function.
Speaker 1 (08:33):
So I want to talk about something that maybe is
a little bit more positive, and it's all positive of course,
when we get educated and we have knowledge about what
you do, Michelle, when it comes to research and what
you've seen lately and what might be coming down the pipeline.
Is there anything that excites you ascribing your attention as
far as research treatments. You talked about homecare, which I
think is just a gigantic game changer, and you've talked
(08:54):
about that. Is there anything else that kind of gets
you a little excited at least on the horizon it
could be pretty cool.
Speaker 3 (09:00):
Well, we have in the past couple of years kicked
off an initiative called the Innovation Fund, so we're doing
fundraising around that nationally. It's sort of the brainchild of
our CEO, Kevin Longino, and the idea there is to
invest in startup companies and investing companies that are doing
(09:25):
innovative things really to give them seed funding to help
them with their really exciting and innovative projects. And I've
recently seen that there are great strides in zeno transplantation,
so that is so exciting. I know that we've had
one or two. That's when you take an organ from
(09:49):
from an animal and transplant it into a human.
Speaker 2 (09:52):
Think about that.
Speaker 1 (09:53):
Yeah, that wild?
Speaker 2 (09:54):
I mean that.
Speaker 3 (09:54):
And and the first the first person who UH survived
for a few months ended up passing away a few
months later, but was sort of a really you know,
people are at the point where they want to try
something new and the science is improving every day, and
we are headed down a road that you know, FDA
(10:18):
is looking at zeno transplantation. We we co sponsored a
meeting with them, an externally led meeting where they got
patient input about zeno transplantation.
Speaker 2 (10:28):
So that one's got me really excited.
Speaker 3 (10:29):
And I think in the next you know, five or
ten years, we're really going to see great strides in
that area.
Speaker 1 (10:35):
I'm standing and you mentioned it a little bit, but
I'd like you to expound more on it. About funding,
everybody wants to know how you're funded and also how
they can donate to be a part of the National
Kidney Foundation. So can you go over everything for us?
Speaker 2 (10:47):
Yes, absolutely.
Speaker 3 (10:49):
We We have many generous donors and many generous sponsors.
We do we get some grant funding as well, so uh,
we are not funded you know through through Some states
have departments of health that provide some funding to us,
(11:09):
but that's on a state by state basis, so heavily
heavily from.
Speaker 2 (11:14):
Sponsors and donors.
Speaker 3 (11:16):
And we we also take car donations. We have a
kidney cars program we love for people to get involved
as volunteers. That's another way that you can you can
really help. And you can go to Kidney dot org
to find out different ways. We have a big the
seventy fifth anniversary campaign.
Speaker 2 (11:38):
We're doing a lot of fundraising.
Speaker 3 (11:40):
About that, you know, around that to really keep going
for the next seventy five years and to keep serving
you know, Kate kidney patients and our local communities and
our local website is Kidney w DC dot org. That's
for the National Capital Area in Virginia where you can
learn more about local programs for patients.
Speaker 2 (12:02):
And for professionals.
Speaker 3 (12:03):
And are our different fun events that we have going
on throughout the year, and.
Speaker 1 (12:09):
We'll talk about those and the seventy fifth anniversary and
all the other things. And I should encourage people and
we always get people that are listing to own a small,
medium or large business, Michelle, and we want to encourage
them that if we're getting their attention about your cause,
they can reach out to you directly too and be
partners right absolutely.
Speaker 3 (12:28):
My email is Michelle one L dot Anthony at Kidney
dot org. You can find us on social media and Facebook,
Slash n kf NCA, Instagram, slash and kf NCA, and
I really welcome those those conversations. We have some wonderful
(12:50):
companies that we work with that are you know, very
engaged in social responsibility, wanting to give back to the community,
want to strengthen the communities where they are. So, you know,
it's it's a great way to do it. And kidney
disease affects so many people. I think that a lot
of the companies that we work with, when they hear
(13:12):
the numbers, they realize, you know, if they have a
workforce of ten twenty thirty thousand employees and you take
those statistics and extrapolate that fifteen percent of your you know,
workforce is affected by kidney disease and may not be diagnosed.
I mean, it's a great cause to get involved with.
(13:33):
We have we do some corporate wellness programs as well,
so that people will think about the you know, the
leading causes of kidney disease and am I risk?
Speaker 2 (13:42):
Should I get tested?
Speaker 3 (13:45):
And you know, with ninety percent of the people undiagnosed,
think about the savings for the employer, you know, for
their health care and their benefits, absenteeism and really just
you know, the well being of their workforce. I mean
they want the healthiest, you know, workforce possible and they
(14:06):
care about their people.
Speaker 2 (14:07):
So it's a.
Speaker 3 (14:09):
Great investment get involved with the National Kidney Foundation.
Speaker 1 (14:13):
Yeah, that is well said. And I do want to
talk more about the seventy fifth anniversary. And it always
impresses me because I talked to so many cool nonprofits,
including yours, where I can't believe it's been around for
seventy five years. I mean, it's extraordinary to keep a
nonprofit and you know, the mantra of the mission, the
vision might have been different when it started out to
where it is today because of technology and research and
(14:34):
how far we've come in all those different areas. But
that is a long time. So could you do me
a favorite. I don't know how much you know about it,
but how did the National Kidney Foundation start seventy five
years ago?
Speaker 2 (14:45):
Oh?
Speaker 3 (14:45):
Yeah, it's a great story. It's a great story. There
was a woman named Ada de Bold in Tuckahoe, New
York who had a son who was diagnosed with nephrodic syndrome,
and very little.
Speaker 2 (15:01):
Was known about it at the time.
Speaker 3 (15:02):
I mean a toddler, a little little boy named Bobby.
So she gathered doctors, and she went to hospitals and
she found patients and parents of patients. Held meetings in
her living room in Tuckaho, New York about what can.
Speaker 2 (15:22):
We do about this?
Speaker 3 (15:23):
So she decided that the best thing was to fundraise.
So she her and her husband and Bobby's older brother Peter,
did a letter writing campaign.
Speaker 2 (15:34):
They didn't, i mean, think.
Speaker 3 (15:35):
About nineteen fifty, you know, there was not social media.
She did not have a large social network, but she
was determined to save her son. So the idea was
to raise money for research to really study this nephrotic syndrome.
So that formed the National Nephrosis Foundation, which later became
(15:58):
the National Kidney Foundation, just more general. And they raised
money and they raised awareness, and her determination led to
an experimental drug and Bobby was part of the trial.
And unfortunately, little Bobby passed away at four years old,
which is just you know, devastating. But what she started,
(16:21):
you know, really started a movement of the National Kidney Foundation.
So we owe a lot to our founder, aided to
Bold sure do.
Speaker 1 (16:27):
It's an extraordinary story and it always, you know, usually
is a personal thing and a very small thing like
this when you think of what it's become now. It's
really extraordinary how big it is now. By the way,
when it comes to representation, whether it's peers like you,
how many different offices do you have around the country?
You mentioned the New York has head office, but when
it comes to either satellite offices or different cities that
(16:48):
are representative, how many are represented in the US.
Speaker 3 (16:52):
We have sixteen offices that are part of the national
organization in New York, and then we have I think
six or seven affiliate offices function a little differently but
are still under the umbrella. But we represent the entire country,
Continental and Alaska and Hawaii, you know, the entire United States.
Speaker 1 (17:14):
Actually, Okay, I want to talk to you about events
and walks that are coming up, including also Tower Club.
I know that's a real big deal. But let's get
back to the seventy fifth anniversary. It's extraordinary. It's really cool.
As far as plans on what you do to celebrate
that throughout the year, what's it going to look like.
Speaker 3 (17:33):
The actual anniversary is on December first, So we have
been rolling out at our events throughout the year. At
our at our gala earlier in the year, we really
put the focus on the seventy fifth anniversary, we had
Doug camer and Jimmie Olebandi from NBC for narrowing narrating
videos for us and just really raising awareness about the
(17:56):
seventy fifth We have a fundraising campaign around it. We
have the seventy five heroes that so we focus on
patient stories.
Speaker 1 (18:05):
I love, I love, I love that you're doing that.
Speaker 3 (18:08):
Yeah, yeah, And one of you know, one of them,
I do Stacy Wore, who was on the show with
us earlier this year. She is one of the heroes,
and really her story is just such a cautionary tale.
Speaker 2 (18:24):
She had high blood pressure.
Speaker 3 (18:26):
She was diagnosed with high blood pressure in college, and
she had various trips to the hospital and she was
sick off and.
Speaker 2 (18:33):
On and for years.
Speaker 3 (18:36):
Her kidney disease diagnosis just went without happening.
Speaker 2 (18:41):
For some.
Speaker 1 (18:41):
It's really shocking, isn't it.
Speaker 3 (18:44):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, So, I mean it kind of shows that,
you know, the primary care physicians are overwhelmed with everything
that they need to do, and so that's why you
know the importance of the kidney profile and trying to
work it into you know, their pro to calls that
if people have diabetes, hypertension, they need to be tested
(19:04):
for kidney disease.
Speaker 2 (19:06):
So unfortunately, Stacy went on the waiting list.
Speaker 3 (19:11):
She managed to avoid dialysis, you know, through medication and
dietary but she was at end stage kidney disease for
a long time. And I am so excited to announce
that just this week she got a call that a
kidney from a deceased owner was available to her.
Speaker 1 (19:31):
That's huge and this came available. I mean, my goodness,
that's another miracle, right, you.
Speaker 3 (19:37):
Know, for all the work we do, it is a
week like this when something like this happens that really
makes you so amazed at the pay so thankful in
the payoff.
Speaker 1 (19:46):
Exactly.
Speaker 2 (19:47):
So, she's been our spokesman for a couple of years.
Speaker 3 (19:50):
She is so passionate about raising awareness so others don't
have to go through what she did.
Speaker 1 (19:55):
Well, please give her our best. That's that's great news.
I didn't know that was happening. You spring that. Yeah,
I think that's wonderful for our listener to hear something
like that. And as you say, you really do see
a lot of hardship in your job. And once again,
I revisit this a long time because a lot of
the nonprofits we talk to deal with some very heavy
subjects and a lot of bad news out there, so
(20:15):
when you get good news like this, it's pretty exciting.
Speaker 2 (20:19):
Yeah. Yeah, I mean it's life and death.
Speaker 1 (20:22):
Yeah, this is life, right, Yeah.
Speaker 2 (20:23):
When we see the new life.
Speaker 3 (20:25):
And I was just talking to a volunteer the other
day and just hearing about post transplant and people didn't
realize how bad they felt until the transplant happens, and
they just are a.
Speaker 2 (20:39):
New person, right, Yeah.
Speaker 3 (20:41):
Because kidney disease, they get worse and worse and it's
kind of gradual and whatnot, and it's a brand new
lease on life when they get a transplant.
Speaker 1 (20:48):
Well, just extraordinary news. I'm so happy. It's just wonderful.
I'm curious about that because it just piqued my interest
when it comes to transplants, you know, I know that
there's a waiting list out there, and I'm sure it's lengthy,
and people you mentioned to me on the show before,
I've waited sometimes for years, which is a little shocking,
but it's kind of the way it is right now.
But when it comes to qualifying and then getting it done,
(21:12):
we don't have This is probably its own program, Michelle,
but you know, what's the process about somebody getting on
the list waiting and if they find how does it work?
And then the longevity I imagine maybe it might be
case by case, but how long does somebody expect to
live after they get a kidney transplant?
Speaker 2 (21:29):
Oh my gosh. The really great news is with the.
Speaker 3 (21:35):
New medications that are available, kidneys.
Speaker 2 (21:39):
Are lasting longer and longer.
Speaker 3 (21:41):
We know so many people who have had their kidney
for twenty thirty years, which is amazing. Sometimes you might
have to get a couple transplants throughout a life because
they used to last ten years. Now they're lasting twenty years.
But you know, with the new medications, I mean, you know,
suppressant medications that are getting better and better, the graphs
(22:03):
themselves are lasting.
Speaker 1 (22:04):
And what you're talking about too, is that we've heard
in I'm only a layman, so you can expound on
this with your knowledge and intelligence about exactly this. But
it's always about the rejection when you're bringing somebody else's
body part into your body, about it accepting it. Correct.
That's where the medication comes.
Speaker 3 (22:20):
In exactly, so that your body will accept the foreign
organ that's coming into your body. But the process is
that patients work, they're nephrologists, their kidney doctor will refer
them to a transplant center, so they will work with
the transplant center to get worked up and they will
get put on the waiting list for a kidney, and
(22:44):
all of the transplant centers from day one really stress
we need to find you a living donor. What can
we do to help find you a living donor because
waiting lists vary from region to region, and ours is
really long. Ours is like five to seven years in
the DC area, and you're getting sicker and sicker as
time goes by. So the best option is to look
(23:07):
for a living donor. It's the outcomes are better. It's
the best possible match, and having the living organ just
makes you healthier, and it lasts longer. You can schedule it.
You don't have to wait on a waiting list for years.
So that's why we're really stressing the importance of living
(23:28):
donation and educating people, patients, family members, caregivers, the general
republic about the possibility of living donation.
Speaker 1 (23:38):
Alian Michelle, you've got a kidney walk coming up in
late October. Let's inform everybody about what it is and
how they can be a part of it.
Speaker 2 (23:45):
Yeah. Yeah.
Speaker 3 (23:46):
The kidney Walk is a signature fundraising event for the
National Kidney Foundation. We have kidney walks in seventy communities
across the United States, and really what it does is
unites and empowers people affected by kidney disease. They're loved ones,
living donors. The medical community is very, very supportive. We
(24:06):
have we have a lot of healthcare professionals involved, and
it really just amplifies awareness about kidney disease and gives
It's a great opportunity for fellowship, for patients to come
and meet one another, to see that they're not going
through this alone. So it's our kidney walks are on
(24:28):
October twenty fifth this year. We have one in DC
at Freedom Plaza and then we have one in Richmond
actually at Bird Park, so they're going to be going
on the same day in the morning. When you check in,
there's so many wonderful things to do. You know, there's
(24:49):
a there's a kid's corner. Uh, there's a DJ, there's
you know, line dancing, and all kinds of fun activities.
We have many sponsors so that patients can learn a
lot about the transplant centers and the different services that
are available to them. Uh, we have a program, a
(25:10):
very inspirational program, and then we go out on the
course in d C. We have a four mile and
a two mile loop that starts at Freedom Platz and
goes you know, it's gorgeous. It goes right in front
of the Washington Monument and you know, around the monuments
and the National Mall. I think we have one of
the best, you know, courses in the country and it's
(25:32):
a beautiful thing to do on a on a fall morning.
Speaker 2 (25:36):
So I wanted to give a shout out.
Speaker 3 (25:38):
There's a there's a really interesting We're always looking for volunteers,
so you can contact us if you're interested in volunteering.
I got I was in touch with a gentleman who
had a kidney transplant a couple of years ago. He
works at CarMax and they have a program called CarMax Cares,
which just they want to get into the community. They
(26:01):
want to they want to serve, they want to get
to know community members, they want to do what they
can to improve the health of the community. So Luis
vinda Al, his name is Louise and many of his
co workers are going to be coming down to volunteer
that day, and they're going to be the cheer squad,
you know, so that when people return from the walk,
(26:22):
they're going to have you know, pomp pomps and signs
and cheering people on. So I think it's just such
a wonderful program and I just wanted to give a,
you know, a shout out to CarMax.
Speaker 1 (26:32):
Yeah, I'm glad you did. I love that when everybody
gets involved in community when it comes to that. So
if somebody wants to participate in that walk, specifically the
DC one as far as how to register, how much
it cost, and anything else that they can do at
the event to make sure that they're a part of it.
How does that all work out?
Speaker 3 (26:53):
You can go to our website, but just kidneywalk dot
org and there you can find kidney walks across the country.
If you go to kidneywalk dot org slash n c
A for National Capital Area, you'll find our local walk
or kidneywalk dot org slash Virginia for the Richmond Walk,
and there you can register. Registration is free. You are
(27:17):
encouraged to fundraise for the walk, and everybody who raises
one hundred dollars gets a kidney Walk T shirt and
there are they're there. You know, if you raise a thousand,
you get a super duper T shirt with long sleeves.
So yeah, we really really encourage people to visit Kidneywalk
dot org and learn more about that. Great.
Speaker 1 (27:37):
We only have a couple of minutes left, but I
want to make sure that we get into talk about
Tower Club. Can you tell everybody about that?
Speaker 3 (27:44):
Yeah, we're so so excited and honored. The Tower Club
is going to have a grand reopening celebration. They've they've
done a wonderful job of you know, refurbishing the club.
It's going to be an elegant black tie evening on
October twenty third. It's called the Tower Club Charity Classic,
(28:05):
and we've been selected as the charitable foundation this year.
Speaker 2 (28:10):
So we are so honored.
Speaker 3 (28:12):
It's gonna support our chapter, our local chapter, and bring
you know, the community together. They're gonna have live entertainment,
We're going to have silent auction the newly reimagined Club atmosphere.
So we are just really engaging our supporters and they're
(28:33):
engaging their supporters, and we're hoping to introduce many many
folks in the business community who may not be engaged with.
Speaker 2 (28:41):
The Tower Club to do so.
Speaker 3 (28:42):
It's it's an amazing, amazing it's that building on on
the Beltway that has the big loop.
Speaker 1 (28:50):
On the top. I know they've seen it.
Speaker 2 (28:52):
It's way up there. That's the Tower Club.
Speaker 3 (28:54):
So I hope, I hope that you'll you'll join us, Dennis,
and you know, we'll send you more information about that.
We are we're kind of tying it to our gala
which is called the Kidney Ball in the Spring, which
is on March twenty eighth at the Hilton McLean. So
if you become, you know, a sponsor of the Tower
(29:16):
Club event, you get a couple of tickets to the
Kidney Ball time. And we're hoping to really recruit some
members of the business community to sponsor the Kidney Ball
and to serve on our committee. So please go to
our website to learn more, which is Kidney w DC
dot org.
Speaker 1 (29:35):
I'd standing Michelle. It's great to see you and great
to talk to you again. Thank you all so much
for your valuable time on your hard work, and thank
you again for joining us on Community DC.
Speaker 2 (29:43):
We are so appreciative.
Speaker 3 (29:44):
Thank you, Dennis.
Speaker 1 (29:50):
So clean the oceans and make the world a better.
Speaker 2 (29:53):
Please learn more at she Can. Stems a message dropped
you by the AD Council
Good morning, and welcome to another edition of Community DC.
I'm your host Dennis Glasgow. This morning, we welcome back
to the program Michelle Anthony, who's been the executive director
for the National Kidney Foundation National Capital Area since twenty fourteen.
For those new to learning about kidney disease, we'll have
all the facts, info and data, and we'll also talk
about new things, including upcoming events, research donations, and much
(00:24):
more over the next thirty minutes. Here's my conversation with Michelle.
I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
Good morning, Michelle.
Speaker 2 (00:30):
How are you Dennis? Thanks so much for having me on.
Speaker 1 (00:33):
I'm well and thank you and welcome back. It's great
to always talk to you every six months or so
when we chat with you about the National Kidney Foundation
for Capital Area. So what I'd like to do. I
know you've been a regular guest and a lot of
our listeners know about you and the National Kidney Foundation,
but there are a lot of new listeners that probably
have heard of you but don't know exactly what you do.
So can you give an overview for everybody?
Speaker 3 (00:56):
Sure, we are the National Kidney Foundation serving the National
Capital Area and Virginia. We consolidated with that office in
the past year. So our service areas DC and Southern
Maryland and all of Virginia.
Speaker 2 (01:11):
DC is an area that is hard hit.
Speaker 3 (01:13):
It's got one of the highest rates of kidney disease
in the nation, unfortunately. So we provide programs and services
for patients, for professionals, renal professionals, primary care physicians, the
general public, people at risk for kidney disease.
Speaker 2 (01:31):
We also do a.
Speaker 3 (01:32):
Variety of fundraising to support the programs, both locally.
Speaker 2 (01:37):
And at the national level.
Speaker 3 (01:38):
We're headquartered in New York City and we have sixteen
offices across the country plus some affiliates, so we are
in every community across the United States.
Speaker 1 (01:49):
So in my open I didn't do a justice and
we will talk a lot about this, but it's the
seventy fifth anniversary and I know that's a real big deal,
so we'll chat about that, events, programs, and I also
want to talk to you bout data. And I realized
that data, especially in your AINA, is very fluid. But
as we talk about the DMV and just the regions
that you tackle, and then maybe you can share some
(02:10):
national numbers with us when it comes to kidney disease.
What are we looking at today in twenty twenty five
or the latest data that you have.
Speaker 3 (02:17):
Yes, as I mentioned, we have among the highest rates
of kidney disease in the nation. We have seven hundred
thousand patients in the DMV and I've actually got to
pull some numbers for the state of Virginia as well.
But unfortunately, one in seven people, one in seven adults
has chronic kidney disease. That's fifteen percent of the adults
(02:42):
in the nation, which is an astounding number. And one
in three people is at risk for kidney disease due
to diabetes and hypertension, which are the leading causes of
kidney failure of kidney disease. So the numbers are staggering,
and unfortunately the diagnosis rates are very low. There's not
(03:04):
enough testing for people who are at risk for kidney disease.
The testing rates are only about twenty percent in our
local area. So people should be tested if they do
have diabetes or hypertension. Simple tests urine a blood test
that you can get from your primary care doctor. Early
(03:25):
diagnosis means that we can make interventions so that you
don't have to progress to kidney failure. In many cases,
diet and lifestyle changes can prevent kidney disease from progressing. So,
you know, prevention is a really big part of what
we do. And of course we you know, we have
a lot of programs and focus on treatment when people
(03:49):
unfortunately when their kidneys fail, there's dialysis and transplantation. We
have a big focus on home hemo dialysis. A lot
of people think about dietalysis says sitting in a center,
sitting in one of those chairs for four hours, three
times a week. That hemo dialysis option is now available
(04:12):
in homes. You get you get training, you have to
have a care partner, but it really improves the lives
of people who are on dialysis if they don't have
to travel. Think about you know, rural patients and what
a wonderful thing it is for them to be able
to dialize at home.
Speaker 2 (04:30):
So it's really important.
Speaker 3 (04:32):
It's one of our you know, we're pushing some national legislation,
you know, on the federal level so that people do
get more education about home dialysis and you know where
we do some other some other things as well that
are really important, like in addition to prevention and home dialysis,
(04:53):
you know, transplants, really ensuring equity in transplantation, making sure
that transplant options are available discussed with patients not always
the case, So making sure that people know about all
their various options. So we do local programs, national programs
that focus on educating patients and potential living donors.
Speaker 2 (05:16):
Another really important one.
Speaker 3 (05:18):
Some people don't know still that they can donate a
kidney and be perfectly fine and live a perfectly normal life.
So we do like to educate people about that opportunity.
There are people, there are wonderful people who are out
there who want to do it, who want it even
to a stranger, donate a kidney to make someone's life
(05:39):
better or to save a life. So those are some
of our big advocacy priorities right now.
Speaker 1 (05:47):
Michelle, you talked a little bit about some of the
ailments that people have when it comes to kidney disease,
and I'm curious, and I know you and I have
talked to this before, but once again, as we educate
our listener when it comes to a certain sex or
a gender, or a race, or any type of person,
whether it's young, middle age, or old, when it comes
to kidney disease, does it discriminate or can it attack everybody?
(06:09):
Can you kind of share a little bit more about
your knowledge on that.
Speaker 2 (06:13):
Yeah, it actually can.
Speaker 3 (06:15):
Kidney disease can attack anybody at any time. There are
children who sometimes you know, there are genetic causes so
that children might have kidney disease, might go on dialysis.
Speaker 2 (06:29):
I mean as.
Speaker 3 (06:30):
Heartbreaking as that as that is, seniors are at greater
risk because your kidney function declines over time. There are
certain groups that are at higher risk. African Americans are
four times as likely as whites to develop kidney disease,
(06:50):
Hispanics Latinos one and a half times more so than whites.
But really it's a non discriminating disease in general, So
that's why it's so important to know, you know risk factors.
And it's a very silent disease as well. So you
can be progressing along the scale of you know, one
(07:14):
to five towards kidney failure and not really and feel
perfectly normal until the end, and then there's a lot
of you know youurination problems, swelling, soreness, ache, things like
that start to happen.
Speaker 2 (07:30):
When you are near kidney failure.
Speaker 3 (07:33):
But getting those tests if you're at risk, you know,
is vitally important.
Speaker 1 (07:39):
Well, if you could kind of share about testing because
a lot of people say, okay, you've scared me, Michelle,
and rightly so too, because it can happen to anybody.
With that said, when it comes to testing whether you're
predisposed or not, and somebody's talking with her GP, how
does the testing work in what does it consist of.
Speaker 2 (07:56):
It's very simple.
Speaker 3 (07:57):
You can go to your doctor and you can ask
for the kidney profile. It's a urine test called UACR
and a blood test called EGFR, two simple tests. You
can find out more on our website at kidney dot org.
A lot we are really working with health systems across
the country so that they do work this into their
(08:19):
protocols so that if people present with diabetes or hypertension,
that they check a box and they order the kidney profile.
Very simple, and that those two tests will give a
very clear picture of your kidney function.
Speaker 1 (08:33):
So I want to talk about something that maybe is
a little bit more positive, and it's all positive of course,
when we get educated and we have knowledge about what
you do, Michelle, when it comes to research and what
you've seen lately and what might be coming down the pipeline.
Is there anything that excites you ascribing your attention as
far as research treatments. You talked about homecare, which I
think is just a gigantic game changer, and you've talked
(08:54):
about that. Is there anything else that kind of gets
you a little excited at least on the horizon it
could be pretty cool.
Speaker 3 (09:00):
Well, we have in the past couple of years kicked
off an initiative called the Innovation Fund, so we're doing
fundraising around that nationally. It's sort of the brainchild of
our CEO, Kevin Longino, and the idea there is to
invest in startup companies and investing companies that are doing
(09:25):
innovative things really to give them seed funding to help
them with their really exciting and innovative projects. And I've
recently seen that there are great strides in zeno transplantation,
so that is so exciting. I know that we've had
one or two. That's when you take an organ from
(09:49):
from an animal and transplant it into a human.
Speaker 2 (09:52):
Think about that.
Speaker 1 (09:53):
Yeah, that wild?
Speaker 2 (09:54):
I mean that.
Speaker 3 (09:54):
And and the first the first person who UH survived
for a few months ended up passing away a few
months later, but was sort of a really you know,
people are at the point where they want to try
something new and the science is improving every day, and
we are headed down a road that you know, FDA
(10:18):
is looking at zeno transplantation. We we co sponsored a
meeting with them, an externally led meeting where they got
patient input about zeno transplantation.
Speaker 2 (10:28):
So that one's got me really excited.
Speaker 3 (10:29):
And I think in the next you know, five or
ten years, we're really going to see great strides in
that area.
Speaker 1 (10:35):
I'm standing and you mentioned it a little bit, but
I'd like you to expound more on it. About funding,
everybody wants to know how you're funded and also how
they can donate to be a part of the National
Kidney Foundation. So can you go over everything for us?
Speaker 2 (10:47):
Yes, absolutely.
Speaker 3 (10:49):
We We have many generous donors and many generous sponsors.
We do we get some grant funding as well, so uh,
we are not funded you know through through Some states
have departments of health that provide some funding to us,
(11:09):
but that's on a state by state basis, so heavily
heavily from.
Speaker 2 (11:14):
Sponsors and donors.
Speaker 3 (11:16):
And we we also take car donations. We have a
kidney cars program we love for people to get involved
as volunteers. That's another way that you can you can
really help. And you can go to Kidney dot org
to find out different ways. We have a big the
seventy fifth anniversary campaign.
Speaker 2 (11:38):
We're doing a lot of fundraising.
Speaker 3 (11:40):
About that, you know, around that to really keep going
for the next seventy five years and to keep serving
you know, Kate kidney patients and our local communities and
our local website is Kidney w DC dot org. That's
for the National Capital Area in Virginia where you can
learn more about local programs for patients.
Speaker 2 (12:02):
And for professionals.
Speaker 3 (12:03):
And are our different fun events that we have going
on throughout the year, and.
Speaker 1 (12:09):
We'll talk about those and the seventy fifth anniversary and
all the other things. And I should encourage people and
we always get people that are listing to own a small,
medium or large business, Michelle, and we want to encourage
them that if we're getting their attention about your cause,
they can reach out to you directly too and be
partners right absolutely.
Speaker 3 (12:28):
My email is Michelle one L dot Anthony at Kidney
dot org. You can find us on social media and Facebook,
Slash n kf NCA, Instagram, slash and kf NCA, and
I really welcome those those conversations. We have some wonderful
(12:50):
companies that we work with that are you know, very
engaged in social responsibility, wanting to give back to the community,
want to strengthen the communities where they are. So, you know,
it's it's a great way to do it. And kidney
disease affects so many people. I think that a lot
of the companies that we work with, when they hear
(13:12):
the numbers, they realize, you know, if they have a
workforce of ten twenty thirty thousand employees and you take
those statistics and extrapolate that fifteen percent of your you know,
workforce is affected by kidney disease and may not be diagnosed.
I mean, it's a great cause to get involved with.
(13:33):
We have we do some corporate wellness programs as well,
so that people will think about the you know, the
leading causes of kidney disease and am I risk?
Speaker 2 (13:42):
Should I get tested?
Speaker 3 (13:45):
And you know, with ninety percent of the people undiagnosed,
think about the savings for the employer, you know, for
their health care and their benefits, absenteeism and really just
you know, the well being of their workforce. I mean
they want the healthiest, you know, workforce possible and they
(14:06):
care about their people.
Speaker 2 (14:07):
So it's a.
Speaker 3 (14:09):
Great investment get involved with the National Kidney Foundation.
Speaker 1 (14:13):
Yeah, that is well said. And I do want to
talk more about the seventy fifth anniversary. And it always
impresses me because I talked to so many cool nonprofits,
including yours, where I can't believe it's been around for
seventy five years. I mean, it's extraordinary to keep a
nonprofit and you know, the mantra of the mission, the
vision might have been different when it started out to
where it is today because of technology and research and
(14:34):
how far we've come in all those different areas. But
that is a long time. So could you do me
a favorite. I don't know how much you know about it,
but how did the National Kidney Foundation start seventy five
years ago?
Speaker 2 (14:45):
Oh?
Speaker 3 (14:45):
Yeah, it's a great story. It's a great story. There
was a woman named Ada de Bold in Tuckahoe, New
York who had a son who was diagnosed with nephrodic syndrome,
and very little.
Speaker 2 (15:01):
Was known about it at the time.
Speaker 3 (15:02):
I mean a toddler, a little little boy named Bobby.
So she gathered doctors, and she went to hospitals and
she found patients and parents of patients. Held meetings in
her living room in Tuckaho, New York about what can.
Speaker 2 (15:22):
We do about this?
Speaker 3 (15:23):
So she decided that the best thing was to fundraise.
So she her and her husband and Bobby's older brother Peter,
did a letter writing campaign.
Speaker 2 (15:34):
They didn't, i mean, think.
Speaker 3 (15:35):
About nineteen fifty, you know, there was not social media.
She did not have a large social network, but she
was determined to save her son. So the idea was
to raise money for research to really study this nephrotic syndrome.
So that formed the National Nephrosis Foundation, which later became
(15:58):
the National Kidney Foundation, just more general. And they raised
money and they raised awareness, and her determination led to
an experimental drug and Bobby was part of the trial.
And unfortunately, little Bobby passed away at four years old,
which is just you know, devastating. But what she started,
(16:21):
you know, really started a movement of the National Kidney Foundation.
So we owe a lot to our founder, aided to
Bold sure do.
Speaker 1 (16:27):
It's an extraordinary story and it always, you know, usually
is a personal thing and a very small thing like
this when you think of what it's become now. It's
really extraordinary how big it is now. By the way,
when it comes to representation, whether it's peers like you,
how many different offices do you have around the country?
You mentioned the New York has head office, but when
it comes to either satellite offices or different cities that
(16:48):
are representative, how many are represented in the US.
Speaker 3 (16:52):
We have sixteen offices that are part of the national
organization in New York, and then we have I think
six or seven affiliate offices function a little differently but
are still under the umbrella. But we represent the entire country,
Continental and Alaska and Hawaii, you know, the entire United States.
Speaker 1 (17:14):
Actually, Okay, I want to talk to you about events
and walks that are coming up, including also Tower Club.
I know that's a real big deal. But let's get
back to the seventy fifth anniversary. It's extraordinary. It's really cool.
As far as plans on what you do to celebrate
that throughout the year, what's it going to look like.
Speaker 3 (17:33):
The actual anniversary is on December first, So we have
been rolling out at our events throughout the year. At
our at our gala earlier in the year, we really
put the focus on the seventy fifth anniversary, we had
Doug camer and Jimmie Olebandi from NBC for narrowing narrating
videos for us and just really raising awareness about the
(17:56):
seventy fifth We have a fundraising campaign around it. We
have the seventy five heroes that so we focus on
patient stories.
Speaker 1 (18:05):
I love, I love, I love that you're doing that.
Speaker 3 (18:08):
Yeah, yeah, And one of you know, one of them,
I do Stacy Wore, who was on the show with
us earlier this year. She is one of the heroes,
and really her story is just such a cautionary tale.
Speaker 2 (18:24):
She had high blood pressure.
Speaker 3 (18:26):
She was diagnosed with high blood pressure in college, and
she had various trips to the hospital and she was
sick off and.
Speaker 2 (18:33):
On and for years.
Speaker 3 (18:36):
Her kidney disease diagnosis just went without happening.
Speaker 2 (18:41):
For some.
Speaker 1 (18:41):
It's really shocking, isn't it.
Speaker 3 (18:44):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, So, I mean it kind of shows that,
you know, the primary care physicians are overwhelmed with everything
that they need to do, and so that's why you
know the importance of the kidney profile and trying to
work it into you know, their pro to calls that
if people have diabetes, hypertension, they need to be tested
(19:04):
for kidney disease.
Speaker 2 (19:06):
So unfortunately, Stacy went on the waiting list.
Speaker 3 (19:11):
She managed to avoid dialysis, you know, through medication and
dietary but she was at end stage kidney disease for
a long time. And I am so excited to announce
that just this week she got a call that a
kidney from a deceased owner was available to her.
Speaker 1 (19:31):
That's huge and this came available. I mean, my goodness,
that's another miracle, right, you.
Speaker 3 (19:37):
Know, for all the work we do, it is a
week like this when something like this happens that really
makes you so amazed at the pay so thankful in
the payoff.
Speaker 1 (19:46):
Exactly.
Speaker 2 (19:47):
So, she's been our spokesman for a couple of years.
Speaker 3 (19:50):
She is so passionate about raising awareness so others don't
have to go through what she did.
Speaker 1 (19:55):
Well, please give her our best. That's that's great news.
I didn't know that was happening. You spring that. Yeah,
I think that's wonderful for our listener to hear something
like that. And as you say, you really do see
a lot of hardship in your job. And once again,
I revisit this a long time because a lot of
the nonprofits we talk to deal with some very heavy
subjects and a lot of bad news out there, so
(20:15):
when you get good news like this, it's pretty exciting.
Speaker 2 (20:19):
Yeah. Yeah, I mean it's life and death.
Speaker 1 (20:22):
Yeah, this is life, right, Yeah.
Speaker 2 (20:23):
When we see the new life.
Speaker 3 (20:25):
And I was just talking to a volunteer the other
day and just hearing about post transplant and people didn't
realize how bad they felt until the transplant happens, and
they just are a.
Speaker 2 (20:39):
New person, right, Yeah.
Speaker 3 (20:41):
Because kidney disease, they get worse and worse and it's
kind of gradual and whatnot, and it's a brand new
lease on life when they get a transplant.
Speaker 1 (20:48):
Well, just extraordinary news. I'm so happy. It's just wonderful.
I'm curious about that because it just piqued my interest
when it comes to transplants, you know, I know that
there's a waiting list out there, and I'm sure it's lengthy,
and people you mentioned to me on the show before,
I've waited sometimes for years, which is a little shocking,
but it's kind of the way it is right now.
But when it comes to qualifying and then getting it done,
(21:12):
we don't have This is probably its own program, Michelle,
but you know, what's the process about somebody getting on
the list waiting and if they find how does it work?
And then the longevity I imagine maybe it might be
case by case, but how long does somebody expect to
live after they get a kidney transplant?
Speaker 2 (21:29):
Oh my gosh. The really great news is with the.
Speaker 3 (21:35):
New medications that are available, kidneys.
Speaker 2 (21:39):
Are lasting longer and longer.
Speaker 3 (21:41):
We know so many people who have had their kidney
for twenty thirty years, which is amazing. Sometimes you might
have to get a couple transplants throughout a life because
they used to last ten years. Now they're lasting twenty years.
But you know, with the new medications, I mean, you know,
suppressant medications that are getting better and better, the graphs
(22:03):
themselves are lasting.
Speaker 1 (22:04):
And what you're talking about too, is that we've heard
in I'm only a layman, so you can expound on
this with your knowledge and intelligence about exactly this. But
it's always about the rejection when you're bringing somebody else's
body part into your body, about it accepting it. Correct.
That's where the medication comes.
Speaker 3 (22:20):
In exactly, so that your body will accept the foreign
organ that's coming into your body. But the process is
that patients work, they're nephrologists, their kidney doctor will refer
them to a transplant center, so they will work with
the transplant center to get worked up and they will
get put on the waiting list for a kidney, and
(22:44):
all of the transplant centers from day one really stress
we need to find you a living donor. What can
we do to help find you a living donor because
waiting lists vary from region to region, and ours is
really long. Ours is like five to seven years in
the DC area, and you're getting sicker and sicker as
time goes by. So the best option is to look
(23:07):
for a living donor. It's the outcomes are better. It's
the best possible match, and having the living organ just
makes you healthier, and it lasts longer. You can schedule it.
You don't have to wait on a waiting list for years.
So that's why we're really stressing the importance of living
(23:28):
donation and educating people, patients, family members, caregivers, the general
republic about the possibility of living donation.
Speaker 1 (23:38):
Alian Michelle, you've got a kidney walk coming up in
late October. Let's inform everybody about what it is and
how they can be a part of it.
Speaker 2 (23:45):
Yeah. Yeah.
Speaker 3 (23:46):
The kidney Walk is a signature fundraising event for the
National Kidney Foundation. We have kidney walks in seventy communities
across the United States, and really what it does is
unites and empowers people affected by kidney disease. They're loved ones,
living donors. The medical community is very, very supportive. We
(24:06):
have we have a lot of healthcare professionals involved, and
it really just amplifies awareness about kidney disease and gives
It's a great opportunity for fellowship, for patients to come
and meet one another, to see that they're not going
through this alone. So it's our kidney walks are on
(24:28):
October twenty fifth this year. We have one in DC
at Freedom Plaza and then we have one in Richmond
actually at Bird Park, so they're going to be going
on the same day in the morning. When you check in,
there's so many wonderful things to do. You know, there's
(24:49):
a there's a kid's corner. Uh, there's a DJ, there's
you know, line dancing, and all kinds of fun activities.
We have many sponsors so that patients can learn a
lot about the transplant centers and the different services that
are available to them. Uh, we have a program, a
(25:10):
very inspirational program, and then we go out on the
course in d C. We have a four mile and
a two mile loop that starts at Freedom Platz and
goes you know, it's gorgeous. It goes right in front
of the Washington Monument and you know, around the monuments
and the National Mall. I think we have one of
the best, you know, courses in the country and it's
(25:32):
a beautiful thing to do on a on a fall morning.
Speaker 2 (25:36):
So I wanted to give a shout out.
Speaker 3 (25:38):
There's a there's a really interesting We're always looking for volunteers,
so you can contact us if you're interested in volunteering.
I got I was in touch with a gentleman who
had a kidney transplant a couple of years ago. He
works at CarMax and they have a program called CarMax Cares,
which just they want to get into the community. They
(26:01):
want to they want to serve, they want to get
to know community members, they want to do what they
can to improve the health of the community. So Luis
vinda Al, his name is Louise and many of his
co workers are going to be coming down to volunteer
that day, and they're going to be the cheer squad,
you know, so that when people return from the walk,
(26:22):
they're going to have you know, pomp pomps and signs
and cheering people on. So I think it's just such
a wonderful program and I just wanted to give a,
you know, a shout out to CarMax.
Speaker 1 (26:32):
Yeah, I'm glad you did. I love that when everybody
gets involved in community when it comes to that. So
if somebody wants to participate in that walk, specifically the
DC one as far as how to register, how much
it cost, and anything else that they can do at
the event to make sure that they're a part of it.
How does that all work out?
Speaker 3 (26:53):
You can go to our website, but just kidneywalk dot
org and there you can find kidney walks across the country.
If you go to kidneywalk dot org slash n c
A for National Capital Area, you'll find our local walk
or kidneywalk dot org slash Virginia for the Richmond Walk,
and there you can register. Registration is free. You are
(27:17):
encouraged to fundraise for the walk, and everybody who raises
one hundred dollars gets a kidney Walk T shirt and
there are they're there. You know, if you raise a thousand,
you get a super duper T shirt with long sleeves.
So yeah, we really really encourage people to visit Kidneywalk
dot org and learn more about that. Great.
Speaker 1 (27:37):
We only have a couple of minutes left, but I
want to make sure that we get into talk about
Tower Club. Can you tell everybody about that?
Speaker 3 (27:44):
Yeah, we're so so excited and honored. The Tower Club
is going to have a grand reopening celebration. They've they've
done a wonderful job of you know, refurbishing the club.
It's going to be an elegant black tie evening on
October twenty third. It's called the Tower Club Charity Classic,
(28:05):
and we've been selected as the charitable foundation this year.
Speaker 2 (28:10):
So we are so honored.
Speaker 3 (28:12):
It's gonna support our chapter, our local chapter, and bring
you know, the community together. They're gonna have live entertainment,
We're going to have silent auction the newly reimagined Club atmosphere.
So we are just really engaging our supporters and they're
(28:33):
engaging their supporters, and we're hoping to introduce many many
folks in the business community who may not be engaged with.
Speaker 2 (28:41):
The Tower Club to do so.
Speaker 3 (28:42):
It's it's an amazing, amazing it's that building on on
the Beltway that has the big loop.
Speaker 1 (28:50):
On the top. I know they've seen it.
Speaker 2 (28:52):
It's way up there. That's the Tower Club.
Speaker 3 (28:54):
So I hope, I hope that you'll you'll join us, Dennis,
and you know, we'll send you more information about that.
We are we're kind of tying it to our gala
which is called the Kidney Ball in the Spring, which
is on March twenty eighth at the Hilton McLean. So
if you become, you know, a sponsor of the Tower
(29:16):
Club event, you get a couple of tickets to the
Kidney Ball time. And we're hoping to really recruit some
members of the business community to sponsor the Kidney Ball
and to serve on our committee. So please go to
our website to learn more, which is Kidney w DC
dot org.
Speaker 1 (29:35):
I'd standing Michelle. It's great to see you and great
to talk to you again. Thank you all so much
for your valuable time on your hard work, and thank
you again for joining us on Community DC.
Speaker 2 (29:43):
We are so appreciative.
Speaker 3 (29:44):
Thank you, Dennis.
Speaker 1 (29:50):
So clean the oceans and make the world a better.
Speaker 2 (29:53):
Please learn more at she Can. Stems a message dropped
you by the AD Council
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
CrimeLess: Hillbilly Heist
It’s 1996 in rural North Carolina, and an oddball crew makes history when they pull off America’s third largest cash heist. But it’s all downhill from there. Join host Johnny Knoxville as he unspools a wild and woolly tale about a group of regular ‘ol folks who risked it all for a chance at a better life. CrimeLess: Hillbilly Heist answers the question: what would you do with 17.3 million dollars? The answer includes diamond rings, mansions, velvet Elvis paintings, plus a run for the border, murder-for-hire-plots, and FBI busts.