• Kidney & Dialysis Additional Resources

Supporting Your Kidney Disease Journey, Every Step of the Way

A wealth of resources are available to help you on your quest to learn more about chronic kidney disease (CKD) and dialysis. Below are several categories with links to other exceptional organizations that help those with kidney disease.

Note: All links below open in a new browser window.

Organizations and Programs

  • Dialysis Patient Citizens
    This nationwide, nonprofit patient organization is dedicated to improving the quality of life for all dialysis patients.
  • Kidney Smart®
    Find a class in your area or learn online anytime and get the knowledge you need to take control of your health.
  • National Kidney Foundation (NKF)
    Offers education, information, and chapters in most states that you can join. The NKF has also developed clinical practice guidelines for the treatment of kidney disease and kidney failure.
  • National Kidney Foundation of Southern California
    Learn about kidney disease. Ways to prevent and treat disease, patient programs, links, support groups, organ donation faq’s, and how to help.
  • Dialysisfinder.com- Dialysis Center search
    Find a dialysis center anywhere in the USA. Search by city, state, or zip code. Facility contact information is also available. Addition resouces available on links page. 
  • Find a Dialysis Center - DaVita.com
    More than 4,000 centers in database. Fill out a Facility Availability Form online or call 1-800-424-6589 and DaVita Guest Services will facilitate your placement.
  • Life Options Rehabilitation Program
    Dedicated to helping people live long and live well with kidney disease. Offers encouragement and free educational materials, with a special emphasis on staying active through exercise and employment.
  • American Kidney Fund
    Provides educational programs, clinical research and community service projects.
  • American Association of Kidney Patients (AAKP)
    AAKP is the voluntary, patient organization, which for more than 40 years, has been dedicated to improving the lives of fellow kidney patients and their families by helping them deal with the physical, emotional and social impact of kidney disease. The programs offered by AAKP,  inform and inspire patients and their families to better understand their condition, adjust more readily to their circumstances and assume more normal, productive lives in their communities.
  • Alport Syndrome Foundation®
    The Alport Syndrome Foundation is a non-profit organization founded in 2007 by a group of families affected by the disease and guided by a medical advisory committee of renowned nephrologists.
  • Renal Support Network (RSN)
    A nonprofit, patient-focused, patient-run organization that provides non-medical services to those affected by chronic kidney disease (CKD).
  • National Kidney Registry
    The mission of the National Kidney Registry (NKR) "is to save and improve the lives of people facing kidney failure by increasing the quality, speed, and number of living donor transplants in the world."
Back to top

Education

  • The Nephron Information Center
    Allows patient, professionals and the public access to the vast kidney disease resources on the Web. Links. Animated GIFS, preESRD education, Fadem's Kidney Guide
  • How Your Kidneys Work
    A thorough but friendly education on the many functions of the kidneys.
  • Type 2 Diabetes
    Healthline provides a comprehensive overview of type 2 diabetes as a critical starting point for individuals and/or their loved ones.
Back to top

Advice & Inspiration from People with Kidney Disease

  • myDaVita
    With myDaVita, you're not alone. Make connections with members of the kidney care community.
  • One Man's Story
    Photojournalist John Martin chronicles his journey through kidney failure, dialysis and transplant in first person narration and photos. A picture is worth a thousand words!
Back to top

Recipes & Nutrition

Back to top

Specific Kidney Diseases

  • Calciphylaxis/Calcific Uremic Arteriolopathy (skin ulceration)
    Calciphylaxis, also known as Calcific Uremic Arteriolopathy (CUA), is a serious illness that affects persons with kidney disease who are on hemodialysis. Calciphylaxis causes very painful wounds or ulcers on the skin. Currently, there are no clinically proven treatments for calciphylaxis. If you are a patient with calciphylaxis and want to learn more about this clinical trial of an investigational drug for calciphylaxis, go to MyKidneyResearch.com and click “Sign Up.” You will be guided to a form that will connect you with a member of the study team to see if you qualify.
  • The PKD Foundation
    Provides PKD information and encourages PKD research.
Back to top

Resources

  • DialysisfinderTM
    A free service to help you locate dialysis centers closest to you, or centers in places where you wish to travel.
  • Kidney Disease Information
    Resources and fact sheets from NIDDK.
  • Transplant Living
    Transplant resources from the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS), the organization that maintains the U.S. organ transplant waiting list.
  • Dialysis Facility
    Compare Medicare's site for information on selected characteristics and quality statistics of individual dialysis centers.
  • Directory of Resources
    Renal Web's extensive listing of links and information of interest to people living with kidney failure.
  • Home Dialysis Central
  • UKidney
    UKidney is a provider of educational tools for the study and practice of nephrology, hypertension management, and kidney transplantation. This site features essential educational contributions from major opinion leaders in nephrology.
Back to top

Health Related Portals

Take a Deeper Look at Education

Kidney Disease

Boost your knowledge by understanding the symptoms, risk factors and stages of kidney disease.
Life with Kidney Disease

Life with Kidney Disease

Find out how you can partner with your nephrologist, gain emotional support and continue to live well after a kidney disease diagnosis.

Kidney Smart® Classes

Get your questions answered in a no-cost kidney education class, in person or online.
Videos

Education Videos

From kidney disease basics to treatment options and patient stories, watch videos that will help you learn more about kidney disease.

Kidney Care Vocabulary

Discover the definitions behind common—and not-so common—kidney care terms.