Tour DaVita and Kidney Awareness Run/Walks Will Once Again Benefit the Kidney TRUST in 2010

The Kidney TRUST has been selected once again as the recipient of funds raised by participants in the Tour DaVita™ and Kidney Awareness Run/Walks™ to promote kidney disease awareness.  Currently more than 31 million Americans have chronic kidney disease (CKD) and 90 percent of them don’t know it. DaVita Inc.® which is the founding sponsor of The Kidney TRUST and a leading provider of kidney care services, sponsors both events as part of the company’s commitment to reduce the progression of kidney disease in the United States.

Tour DaVita participants celebrate their achievement.

The 4th annual Tour DaVita is a 240-mile bicycle ride open to DaVita teammates and friends of DaVita that aims to increase awareness of kidney disease and raise funds for the Kidney TRUST.  The ride this year will take place from September 18 to 22, starting in Tacoma, Washington taking riders on a scenic route throughout the state.

According to DaVita CEO Kent Thiry, who will be riding his fourth Tour, “This is one of the most important events of the year for our community.  It is our way to express our dedication and commitment to our patients through continued education and awareness. Our teammates have worked incredibly hard both training and fundraising for this cause and for the TRUST, and I’m honored to be a part of it with them.”

Many people participate in the Run/Walks to honor the memory of a loved one with CKD.

The 5^th annual Kidney Awareness Run/Walks, which are open to participants nationwide, will take place in ten cities in 2010, starting with Chicago on September 11 and concluding in Long Beach, California on November 13.  The other eight cities include Cincinnati, Cleveland, Denver, St. Louis, Washington, D.C., Virginia Beach, Ft. Worth, and Sacramento.  Visit the event website for a complete list of cities and dates and for information about how to join as a sponsor or participant. The Kidney TRUST will be conducting free kidney disease screening at all Run/Walk locations.

“The TRUST is honored to be the beneficiary of the fund-raising efforts of these dedicated walkers, runners and cyclists,” said Annette Eros, President and CEO of The TRUST. “Their efforts have raised millions of dollars for the TRUST over the last five years and we have worked hard to ensure that the investment of time, energy and funding benefits those with CKD, and more importantly helps prevent others from ever suffering from the disease.”

“Thanks to their efforts we have been able to increase public awareness of the dangers of chronic kidney disease and the benefits of early detection, which can help decrease the likelihood of kidney failure leading to dialysis or a kidney transplant,” said Eros.

Sponsors for the two events, that make a tremendous contribution to raising kidney disease awareness nationwide, include the following: