Seattle, WA (April 13, 2017): Northwest Kidney Centers’ 15th annual Breakfast of Hope will be held Tuesday May 16, 2017. The event will raise money to support charity care for dialysis patients and services targeted at diabetes, the most frequent cause of kidney disease. The breakfast runs from 7:30 to 8:45 a.m. at the Westin Seattle, 1900 Fifth Ave.
Keynote speaker will be Ben Vereen, legendary star of stage and screen. The Tony Award-winning performer is still remembered for his role in the 1977 television miniseries “Roots,” and he continues to share his gifts with audiences around the world. Ten years ago, he learned he has Type 2 diabetes. Vereen will bring a personal inspirational message to Breakfast of Hope.
“We need to stop seeing diabetes as a challenge or something that we suffer from, but rather it’s an opportunity to live a better life by taking better care of ourselves,” he says.
Dr. Suzanne Watnick, Northwest Kidney Centers’ chief medical officer, will speak about the diabetes-kidney disease connection. Northwest Kidney Centers aims to reduce the number of new patients in need of dialysis because of diabetic kidney failure, slow the progression of diabetic kidney disease and help people with diabetes avoid kidney failure.
Jim Dever of “KING 5 Evening” will be the master of ceremonies.
The event is free to attend thanks to underwriting from sponsors, and a $150 donation is requested. To register, visit www.nwkidney.org/breakfast, phone 206-720-8585 or email breakfast@nwkidney.org.
Why is this event important? It not only helps Northwest Kidney Centers patients, but the community as a whole. Did you know:
- One in 10 adult Americans have chronic kidney disease. Because the disease is without symptoms, most don’t know until the damage is severe.
- Kidney damage can be slowed with better nutrition, exercise and medication.
- Philanthropy helps fund Northwest Kidney Centers programs that educate the public, support kidney research, promote transplantation and offer charity care.
- Forty-five percent of Northwest Kidney Centers’ patients live in poverty. Charitable gifts help patients whose insurance does not fully cover costs associated with kidney disease.