KidneyTalk - An Online Radio Show By Renal Support Network Lori Hartwell

Kidney disease is a chronic condition, in addition there are five stages. How you are going to feel from day to day and through each of the stages can have a negative impact your mental wellness. Felicia Speed, PhD, LMSW, VP of Social Work Services, Fresenius Kidney Care and Lori discuss coping strategies and other options that are available to help.

Barriers to innovation for people who are on dialysis is a hot issue. While Medicare is a great source of comfort and provides access to necessary treatments, it does face challenges with its existing payment structure that hinder access to new, innovative treatments. Dr. Jeffrey Silberzweig, a nephrologist, and Lori discuss recent breakthroughs and delve into the advantages and disadvantages of the current payment system, while also exploring potential solutions. This show promises to ignite a lively discussion on the impact of payment practices on innovation in kidney care.

Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) implements quality initiatives for Medicare beneficiaries on dialysis. CMS uses these measures to see how the dialysis facility is performing. Dawn Curtis, VP of Clinical Quality, Fresenius Medical Care and Lori discuss the measures dialysis clinics look at and how the kidney care team uses them as a benchmark to provide adequate care for people on dialysis.

Joy Araujo, a source of inspiration for her peers, has won the RSN annual essay contest on multiple occasions. Through her heartfelt and insightful essays, Joy has touched the hearts of readers, sharing her life experiences and imparting wisdom as only she can. Lori, too, has faced her own set of challenges growing up with kidney disease. Together, these seasoned warriors offer insights on how they have conquered kidney disease, how writing helps cope with emotions and the opportunity to gain valuable insights from these talented storytellers. Don™t miss out on this exciting dialogue.

Jennifer McClung was diagnosed with kidney disease at a young age. After receiving a kidney transplant Jennifer started to put on extra weight and needed to make a change. She managed to lose the weight and along the way developed lifestyle changes to keep it off. Listen in to hear what worked for her and tips that can help make your own weight loss journey a success.

The journey of a single mom with kidney disease is a testament to unwavering determination as they navigate a career, medical appointments, treatments and the emotional toll, all the while nurturing and supporting their family. Mauricia Ambrose is a mother, a real estate investor and an author. Mauricia is also on peritoneal dialysis and shares how she gets things done, introduced her illness and treatment to her son and includes him in the process.