Free kidney disease screenings at Discovery Green Oct. 14
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Baylor College of Medicine’s nephrology clinicians and endocrine experts are teaming up with the American Kidney Fund in honor of Houston’s Kidney Action Day on Oct. 14 to provide free kidney disease screenings at Discovery Green.
"Kidney disease affects upwards of 20 million people in the United States," said Dr. William Mitch, the Gordon A. Cain Professor of Medicine and chief of nephrology at BCM. "The disease can progress toward complete kidney failure and require dialysis or transplantation."
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What causes kidney disease?
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Early detection can help delay damage to the kidneys, Mitch said.
"The number one cause of kidney disease is diabetes and high blood pressure," said Mitch. "There are also some conditions in which the kidney disease is inherited."
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Focus on prevention
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The event, which will be held from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., will start off with the Kidney Action Day Walk—a fundraising walkathon—followed by a day of outreach and educational components including free health screenings (kidney function, diabetes and high blood pressure), performances, healthy cooking demonstrations and fitness and family-friendly activities.
If a screening test comes back positive (testing results take several minutes), physicians present at the event will meet with patients to advise them on treatment and management of the disease.
The event is free and open to the public. Discovery Green is located at 1500 McKinney, 77010.
