WHIPPANY, NJ – (BUSINESS WIRE) – Bayer and the National Kidney Foundation (NKF) announced today that award-winning actress Debbie Allen is the “Are You the 33%?” National awareness campaign to raise awareness of the increased risk of developing chronic kidney disease (CKD), also known as kidney disease, in people with type 2 diabetes (T2D) .1 This is the latest phase of the campaign, which was first carried out in Launched March 25th, 2020 to help raise awareness of 1 in 3 people at risk of developing CKD and to encourage dialogue with their doctors to improve early diagnosis and intervention. Type 2 diabetes is a risk factor for developing CKD.2 As part of the campaign, the National Kidney Foundation, Debbie Allen and Bayer are asking people living with T2D to go to MinuteForYourKidneys.org for a simple one-minute quiz To conduct a risk assessment, contact your doctor to have them tested for CKD.
“Despite all of my years of dancing and careful diet to reduce the likelihood of type 2 diabetes, I was recently diagnosed with pre-diabetes. From my father, grandfather, aunts and uncles, this disease shaped my family and I know that it puts me at increased risk of developing chronic kidney disease, ”said Debbie Allen, campaign spokeswoman. “After learning of my diagnosis, I wanted to do my part in helping others with clear, actionable steps. Too many people don’t realize that living with type 2 diabetes can lead to chronic kidney disease and life-threatening complications. Learn your risk with me before it’s too late. ”
A test is the only way people can know for sure if they have CRF.3 Both blood and urine tests show how well the kidneys are working.3 A urine test specific to CKD called the uACR test can Determine if there is damage to the kidneys by checking how much small protein called albumin is in the urine.4 This test gives people one of the earliest signs of CKD and should be done once a year if you have T2D.5 to have. A calculated blood test called eGFR is used to diagnose CKD by measuring how well kidneys are removing waste from the body.4 There are also steps, including diet and other lifestyle changes, that can help prevent CKD progression to slow down, which can lead to dialysis, kidney transplant, and heart problems. if left untreated 6
“With 33 percent of adults in the US at risk of developing kidney disease, it’s like 1 in 3 dancers like Debbie Allen are at risk in a performance.3 We need to understand the risk urgently convert into measures protecting kidney health, “said Dr. Joseph Vassalotti, Chief Medical Officer of the National Kidney Foundation. “With Debbie’s personal history and advocacy, we would like to help the millions of Americans with type 2 diabetes – those who are at greatest risk of developing kidney disease – by speaking to their doctor to see if there are tests and other treatments are suitable for them. “
“Bayer and the National Kidney Foundation share the common goal of improving health outcomes for people with chronic kidney disease – a serious and progressive disease that affects millions of people around the world,” 3 said Amit Sharma, vice president of cardiovascular disease. Cardiovascular and kidney diseases at US Medical Affairs at Bayer Pharmaceuticals. “This recent educational initiative with Debbie Allen adds to our strong and productive history of supporting the National Kidney Foundation and will no doubt have a significant impact in educating and empowering people with type 2 diabetes to speak to their health care provider to learn their risk and take appropriate action. ”
People with T2D also have the unique opportunity to have a virtual fireside chat to hear Debbie Allen’s personal story firsthand as well as from a person with CKD and T2D. The Chief Medical Officer of the National Kidney Foundation, Dr. Joseph Vassalotti, will also share important information about the risk of CRF in T2D. Participants have the opportunity to ask the speakers their own questions via a chat function. Registration details and dates can be found HERE.
To find out more about the “Are you the 33%?” Visit MinuteForYourKidneys.org and join the conversation on social media using the hashtag #MinuteForYourKidneys.
About chronic kidney disease
In the United States, an estimated 37 million adults have CKD and approximately 90 percent do not know they have CKD.3 Risk factors for CKD include: diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, obesity, and family history. 3 People who are Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Native American or Alaskan, Asian American or native Hawaiian, or other Pacific islanders are at increased risk of developing CKD. 8 Black or African American people are nearly four times more likely than Caucasians Kidney failure, when dialysis or a kidney transplant is required to survive.6,8 Hispanics or Latinos are 1.3 times more likely to have kidney failure than Caucasians.8 Diabetes is the most common cause of kidney failure.9
People with CKD and T2D also die three times more likely to die from a cardiovascular event such as a heart attack or stroke than people with only T2D.10 Early diagnosis and intervention can be critical to slow the progression of the disease and improve health outcomes For those living with T2D, it is important to know if they have CRF so that they have time to avoid further damage to their kidneys and other organs, including the heart
About NKF
The National Kidney Foundation is the largest, most comprehensive, and long-standing patient-focused organization in the United States dedicated to the education, prevention, and treatment of kidney disease. More information about NKF can be found at www.kidney.org.
About Bayer
Bayer is a global company with core competencies in the life science sectors of healthcare and nutrition. Its products and services are designed to benefit people by supporting efforts to meet the great challenges of a growing and aging world population. At the same time, the group wants to increase its profitability and create value through innovation and growth. Bayer is committed to the principles of sustainable development and the Bayer brand stands for trust, reliability and quality worldwide. In the 2019 financial year, the group employed around 104,000 people and achieved sales of 43.5 billion euros. The investments amounted to 2.9 billion euros, the R&D expenditures to 5.3 billion euros. Further information can be found at www.bayer.us.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release may contain forward-looking statements based on current assumptions and forecasts made by Bayer management. Various known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors can lead to material differences between the actual future results, the financial situation, the development or performance of the company and the estimates given here. These factors include those discussed in Bayer’s public reports, which are available on the Bayer website at www.bayer.com. The company assumes no liability for updating these forward-looking statements or for adapting them to future events or developments.
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1 National Kidney Foundation. Diabetes – a major risk factor for kidney disease. 2020. Available at: https://www.kidney.org/atoz/content/diabetes. Accessed October 16, 2020.
2 International Diabetes Federation. Diabetes and the kidneys. 2020. Available at: https://idf.org/our-activities/care-prevention/diabetes-and-the-kidney.html. Accessed November 17, 2020.
3 Center for Disease Control. Chronic Kidney Disease in the US, 2019. 2019. Available at: https://www.cdc.gov/kidneydisease/publications-resources/2019-national-facts.html. Accessed November 17, 2020.
4 NIDDK. Chronic Kidney Disease Tests & Diagnosis. 2016. Available at: https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/kidney-disease/chronic-kidney-disease-ckd/tests-diagnosis. Accessed November 17, 2020.
5 Know Your Kidney Numbers: Two Simple Tests. 2017. Available at: https://www.kidney.org/atoz/content/know-your-kidney-numbers-two-simpletests. Accessed November 17, 2020.
6 American Kidney Fund – Stages of CKD. 2020. Available at: https://www.kidneyfund.org/kidney-disease/chronic-kidney-disease-ckd/stages-of-chronic-kidney-disease/. Accessed November 17, 2020.
7 Disease Control Center. National Diabetes Statistics Report, 2020. 2020. Available at: https://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/data/statistics-report/index.html. Accessed November 17, 2020.
8 National Kidney Foundation. Race, Ethnicity, and Kidney Disease. 2020. Available at: https://www.kidney.org/atoz/content/minorities-KD. Accessed December 7, 2020.
9 National Kidney Foundation – Diabetes and Chronic Kidney Disease. Available at: https://www.kidney.org/news/newsroom/factsheets/Diabetes-And-CKD.
10 Afkarian M et al. J Am Soc Nephrol. 2013; 24: 302-308.
