This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.

Local Voices

National Kidney Foundation of Maryland Honors Howard County Volunteers

LUTHERVILLE, Md. – The National Kidney Foundation of Maryland (NKF-MD) recently held its annual Volunteer Awards Reception at The Baltimore Museum of Industry.

Sponsored by Mid-Atlantic Nephrology Associates, the Living Legacy Foundation of Maryland and Johns Hopkins Medicine Comprehensive Transplant Center, the event recognized individuals and organizations for their time and hard work in the fight against kidney disease, which remains #9 in the top 10 causes of death.

“We could not exist without our volunteers whose efforts help us to make the community aware of the life-sustaining role the kidneys play in their health, and of the risk factors and real dangers presented by kidney disease,” said NKF-MD Board Chairman Christopher Simon. “Only this awareness will enable those at risk to prevent the onset of early stage illness and those with early kidney disease from experiencing organ failure.”

Find out what's happening in Columbiawith free, real-time updates from Patch.

With WJZ-TV’s Ron Matz as emcee, NKF-MD announced 30 awards, including the following two awards to Howard County volunteers: 

Rappel for Kidney Health Committee All-Star Award: David Leeser MD, FACS
Dr. Leeser is Associate Professor of Surgery and Chief of Kidney and Pancreas Transplantation at the University of Maryland School of Medicine Department of Surgery/Transplantation Division.

Find out what's happening in Columbiawith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Serving as the Rappel for Kidney Health revenue chairman, Dr. Leeser not only raised over $1,300 individually, but he also helped secure over $15,000 in new corporate sponsorship. This helped the Foundation raise corporate sponsorship to record high levels.

The Clarksville resident also went “over the edge” and rappelled down the Baltimore Marriott Waterfront Hotel for the second year in a row.

During the award presentation, NKF-MD called him “an ambitious leader and a sincere advocate for the kidney community.” 

Golf Committee All-Star Award: Greg Jacobson
An Ellicott City resident, Jacobson is associate vice president at ERPi. He has volunteered for 16 years with NKF-MD, seven of which have been on the Board of Directors and 10 of which have been as chairman of the Golf Committee.

As noted in the award presentation: “His compassion for the kidney community shines in the hard work he puts in to grow our Golf tournament year after year. He not only has worked to grow this event through his own participation, but also through the recruitment of committee members, widening our ability to raise funds and spread awareness. He is a strategic leader and a devoted member of the kidney community.”

In addition to honoring the volunteers, the reception celebrated NFK-MD’s many accomplishments throughout the year, such as:

  • KEY: Kidneys, Evaluate Yours (KEY) free community health screenings reached more than 925 people, identifying at least 24 percent of these individuals with a possible risk factor for kidney disease.
  • The Kidney Health Risk Assessment (KHRA) reached more than 500 people with information and awareness about kidney disease. 
  • More than 1,000 people have been reached through NKF-MD’s participation in community and corporate health fairs.
  • NKF-MD is on target to raise more than $1 million through special events such as such as the Greater Baltimore Kidney Walk, which broke records for drawing more than 5,000 walkers and raising $345,000. Overall, the Baltimore Kidney Walk has grown to #2 for NKF spring events held nationally.
  • The Foundation continued to fund $200,000 to valuable life-saving research in Maryland, which is more funding towards research than any other NKF division or affiliate in the country! 
  • NKF-MD’s patient emergency assistance program funded approximately $200,000 to meet the emergency needs of dialysis patients and transplant recipients, whose lives have been dramatically altered by kidney disease. 
  • The Foundation spent $12,000 on medical alert jewelry for patients.

About NKF-MD
Now celebrating its 50th year as an affiliate, the National Kidney Foundation of Maryland serving central and western Maryland, the Delmarva Peninsula and portions of West Virginia, is the area’s only voluntary health agency dedicated to the prevention, treatment and cure of kidney and urinary tract diseases. For more information, visit www.kidneymd.org.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

The views expressed in this post are the author's own. Want to post on Patch?