KidneyTalk - An Online Radio Show By Renal Support Network

Saying thank you to the family who gave the gift of life to save others is an important part to their healing. But, often people don't understand the process. Litsa Williams is the Director of Community Service for the Living Legacy Foundation of Maryland which is 1 of 58 Organ Procurement Organization in the United States. She describes the process and shares some stories that have happened as re...

If you have had kidney disease for any length of time, more than likely high potassium has been an issue. Dr. Lance Berman, Chief Medical Officer for Relypsa, talks with Lori about the company's new drug, Veltassa, approved by the FDA to treat high potassium. Dr. Berman explains in great detail how potassium impacts our bodies, current treatment options available and what to ask your doctor if pot...

Kidney care is complex and often fragmented. A new pilot program by the Center for Medicaid and Medicare Services is in play. Its name is End-Stage Renal Disease Seamless Care Organization (ESCO). Doug Johnson, MD, Medical Director for Dialysis Clinic Incorporated, along with his team Dr. Toros Kapoian, Kathy Searson, Karen Nugent, Bob Motacki, Wayne Dwyer describe how they plan to improve care co...

Dr. Shuvo Roy is an Engineer who works at the University of California San Francisco. His life mission is to create a surgically-implanted, independently operational "bio"-artificial kidney to treat kidney failure. He talks with Lori about his grand vision of designing an implantable kidney, the timeline for clinical trials, and what he has learned so far. Listen and feel the hope that one day we...

Jeff Wolin never thought he would be able to use his experience of being a dialysis and transplant recipient in such a meaningful way. Peer to Peer Support is proving to be a valuable addition to the medical community and Cedars Sinai Medical Center has an Ambassador program during kidney transplant clinic to help their patients connect with someone who has been there and share their experiences....

Jedidiah Rodriguez has lived with kidney disease since he was a child and has a fascination with racing and motorcycles. He found the perfect job. As a professional mechanic for a motocross team he fulfills his passion traveling to over 200 days a year with dialysis machine in tow. You may catch a glimpse of him on AMA Super Cross Series MX Sports. He shares with Lori how he cares for himself and...

Why is it always hard to ask for help? Is asking for help a sign of weakness? We are willing to help others, but often we find it hard to express our own needs. Toni Bernhard is the author of two books, How to be Sick and How to Live Well with a Chronic Illness. Toni has a resilient and informative voice of helping others with a chronic illness learn strategies to cope and thrive. Lori and Toni di...

Itchy skin is an uncomfortable, irritating and can distract you to point that all you think about is scratching. Itchy skin may be the result of many conditions when you have kidney disease. Dr. Yuval Bibi, is a dermatologist and explains what can cause itchy skin and ways you can best treat, care for and protect your birthday suit.

You've Got to Be Kidneying! Snopes.com has clarified that the claim of travelers being drugged and used as unwilling kidney donors by bands of organ thieves is a myth. Unfortunately, there are number of other scams on the internet that are becoming more widespread and Karol Franks has encountered quite a few. Karol has been looking for a kidney for her daughter Jenna since 2007 and she has seen he...

Dr. Stephen Fadem, a nephrologist in Houston, Texas, is passionate about educating people who have chronic kidney disease and the physicians who care for them. He is a cancer survivor, and chemotherapy caused some damage to his kidney. In this interview, he discusses Essentials of Chronic Kidney Disease, a new book which he helped write and compile with several other physicians. He talks about how...

As we age, Alzheimer's becomes more of a risk. According to statistics, 1 in 10 people over age 65 and 47% of people over age 85 are at risk. In the year 2030, the number of those afflicted with Alzheimer's is expected to double, due to longevity. Susan Howland, Director of Education for the Alzheimer's Association, California Southland Chapter, explains the disease process, how to recognize the s...

An emergency can arise in so many ways, and if you are on dialysis you need to know what to do. Joan Thomas is the Kidney Community Emergency Response Program Director of the ESRD National Coordinating Center, and works with communities to provide dialysis if a center isn't operational. She explains what people on dialysis need to know and have on hand, and the different communication and dietary...

Every person on dialysis has a care plan. Joanna Galeas is on Peritoneal Dialysis and talks about the importance of joining with your healthcare team in creating and developing a care plan. A Dialysis Care plan is a standard that the patient, doctor, nurse, social worker and dietitian to uses to review and note progress and make any changes as your health issues change. This may sound boring, but...

Vernita Royal has Polycystic Kidney Disease and many of her family members suffer from it and have a kidney transplant or are on dialysis. She tells Lori her story, what she has learned and what people need to consider if they are adopting or fostering a child with an illness. She also debunks the myth that you cannot be single and adopt. She is a former Social Worker for adoptions and is very fam...

Phillip Zakowski, MD is a specialist in infectious diseases and he shares with Lori several strategies to stay bug free both pre- and post-transplant. He explains the risks and warning signs of infection, types of common infections, foods to avoid, vaccines to get and how to handle pets. The information in this show can save your life.

Ardis Bazyn is a motivational speaker, business coach and author. She lost her sight in a car accident at a young age. In this motivating interview, Ardis shares with Lori how she has overcome obstacles and has used technology, travel and coping strategies to fulfill her goals in life and live the life she wants to live. Make the impossible possible is her motto.

Good nutrition coupled with good dental hygiene is key to good health. Cher Thomas explains why this is so important for people with chronic kidney disease, how problems can arise if you are not chewing your food properly or making enough saliva, and the risks factors for gum disease and cavities. Cher has been a transplant patient for more than 16 years and is passionate about educating her peers...

Judy Weintraub has a store of knowledge, gained from experience, she would like to share with the renal community. On dialysis for more than 40 years, Judy shares with Lori her wisdom, her philosophy of life and most importantly how she has come to accept her health and cherish every moment. She is currently working on a documentary titled "Life on the Bridge," to share her story and to inspire th...

Have you ever been confused as to why your blood pressure goes up or down? Are you frustrated because you don't have the faintest idea why? Sandy explains to Lori how the vascular system works, how different types of blood pressure medication work, and what you can do to help keep your BP in the normal range. The information in this interview could help you make a life-saving decision at a critica...

John Brockington was one of many men who ignored the warning signs of health issues until he ended up in Emergency. John played football at Ohio State and for the Green Bay Packers and was in top shape. He didn't think his body could fail him. Diane Brockington stepped forward and was a match. Listen to their remarkable story, and how their journey led them to help others through the John Brocking...

Jared Heyman knew there had to be a better way when his little sister suffered for three years with a medical condition that could not be diagnosed. After many doctor visits and thousands of dollars in medical bills, she was finally diagnosed and given proper treatment. This was Jared's motivation for CrowdMed. Medical Detectives from around the world help people with mysterious medical problems f...

Josh Morrison thought for many years about the possibility of donating one of his kidneys to help someone in need. Hear the remarkable story of how Josh came to donate a kidney to a stranger, and the insight he discovered along the way. Josh founded WaitListZero, an organization that increases living donations by addressing the educational and financial barriers faced by living donors.

A patient and family centered care environment encourages participation and engagement, and these lead to better clinical outcomes. Celeste Castillo-Lee, Program Manager at the University of Michigan, has been on dialysis for many years. In this talk with Lori, Celeste discusses moving from a system-centered model of care to a patient and family centered model, allowing the patient to take control...

Daniel Vandenbark-Woodward was healthy and never had any signs of being sick until one day he ended up in the Emergency Room with acute kidney failure (AKI) and needed dialysis immediately. AKI is different from chronic kidney failure. You can hear Daniel tell Lori his story and learn if his kidneys recovered.

Choosing a dialysis treatment option can be difficult and many people do not know there are seven types of options available. Dori Schatell, the Executive Director of Medical Education Institute, has developed a website called Mydialysischoice.org and shares with Lori how this site will be helpful to people who need dialysis. Learn about the pros and cons of each treatment modality and pick the on...