Patient Advocacy and Kidney Disease

Yumlish: Diabetes and Multicultural Nutrition

In this episode, Lori Hartwell talks about her story of surviving and thriving with chronic kidney disease, her work founding the Renal Support Network with the goal of helping kidney patients become their own best advocates, and her work developing public policy to advocate for individuals with chronic kidney disease.

Lori Hartwell’s mission is to help people living with chronic kidney disease. Hartwell suffered kidney failure at the age of two, survived 50+ surgeries and 13 years of dialysis, and is now living with her fourth kidney transplant. Hartwell founded Renal Support Network in 1993 to instill “health, happiness, and hope” into the lives of fellow patients; she serves as President to this day and has inspired patients, family members and healthcare professionals. She has built a national network of people who she refers to as her “kidney kin” to help let them know they are not alone in this journey and help them find the tools needed to navigate this illness.

“When you're diagnosed with a chronic illness, if it's diabetes or kidney disease, whatever it is, it really, you know, adversity introduces you to yourself.”

Question of the Day: What does patient advocacy mean to you?

On This Episode You Will Learn:

Causes of Kidney Failure

Renal Support Network

Patient Advocacy Groups

Kidney Care Partners

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Key Points:

00: 00 - Intro with Shireen!

01:39 - Can you tell us a bit about your story surviving and thriving with kidney disease and how you got into your wide range of roles in the areas of kidney patient advocacy, support, and policy?

04:31 - What is the cause of kidney failure? The two main reasons.

06:00 - What is the mission of your organization, the Renal Support Network (RSN), one of the leading patient advocacy groups in the country? Can you talk about RSN support groups and how they help?

07:36 - How does RSN help kidney patients become their own best advocates?

09:06 - Can you tell us about a favorite success story of a person living with kidney disease who benefited through RSN support groups?

10:27 - You are also involved in public policy concerning kidney patients and recently you worked with Kidney Care Partners to develop their 2022 policy priorities. What is the importance of a legislative agenda to advocate for kidney patients and what are the KCP’s 2022 policy priorities?

16:20 - What is the most important thing for individuals with chronic diseases to know?

17:27 - How can our listeners connect with you and learn more about your work?

20:14 - Outro with Shireen!

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