The National Kidney Foundation, Inc. (NKF) is a major voluntary health organization in the United States, headquartered in New York City. Its mission is to prevent kidney and urinary tract diseases, improve the health and well-being of individuals and families affected by these diseases, and increase the availability of all organs for transplantation.
The organization's activities include research and training, continuing education of health care providers, patient services, and fund raising. It publishes a number of scientific journals including the American Journal of Kidney Diseases, Advances in Chronic Kidney Disease and the Journal of Renal Nutrition. The NKF publishes the Kidney Dialysis Outcomes Qualitity Initiative K/DOQI, a comprehensive set of clinical practice guidelines.
The NKF has been a vocal advocate for increasing all forms of kidney transplantation. However, it has published a position statement against allowing monetary compensation for kidney donations and its opponents have accused it of trying to stifle public discussion on this subject.
The National Kidney Foundation annually hosts the Spring Clinical Meetings as its premiere educational conference. It has 20 years of experience providing continuing education to the kidney health care community. The Spring Clinical Meetings have educated over 50,000 professionals, delivered over 2,200 interactive sessions, and offered over 3,156 hours of continuing education credits.
On World Kidney Day, the foundation sponsors Kidney Early Evaluation Program (KEEP) screenings around the United States. NKF holds hundreds of other KEEP and kidney-health screenings throughout the year to identify individuals who are at risk for Chronic Kidney Disease.
To raise funds for its programs, the National Kidney Foundation organizes a national car-donation program called Kidney Cars, Kidney Walks in major US cities and the NKF Cadillac Golf Classic which culminates in a tournament at Pebble Beach. Danny Mason, late golf coach at Texas Tech University in Lubbock and a transplant recipient, played in three tournaments.
The international sorority, Phi Sigma Sigma holds the NKF as their national philanthropy. Every year, Phi Sig sisters donate thousands of dollars to this organization and volunteer at the National Kidney Foundation U.S. Transplant Games.
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