Today on World Kidney Day 12 of March 2010 - Kidney Wales Foundation announces the launch of a new " Kidney Wales Research Fund" in Wales.
Kidney Wales will kick start the fund with £100,000 and invite expressions of interest from researchers who wish to prevent renal disease and alleviate the cause of kidney failure.
Bids to the Fund are being sought from researchers across Wales and interest has been shown from overseas and particularly the Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative MedicineWinston-Salem in the United States.
The mission of World Kidney Day is to raise awareness of the importance of our kidneys to our overall health and to reduce the frequency and impact of kidney disease and its associated health problems worldwide. The mission of World Kidney Day is to:
Raise awareness about our kidneys ;
Highlight that diabetes and high blood pressure are key risk factors for Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) ;
Encourage systematic screening of all patients with diabetes and hypertension for CKD;
Encourage preventivion ;
Educate all medical professionals about their key role in detecting and reducing the risk of CKD
Stress the important role of local and national health authorities in controlling the CKD epidemic. Health authorities worldwide will have to deal with high and escalating costs if no action is taken to treat the growing number of people with CKD.
On World Kidney Day all governments across the World are encouraged to alleviate kidney disease. Kidney Wales works in partnership with our Patients, Supporters, Assembly Members, Members of Parliament and Members of the European Parliament and the Welsh Assembly Government and all those who join in KW objectives.
As a Charity we are also taking action today by announcing this new Kidney Wales Research Fund.