March is Kidney Disease Awareness Month and March 10th is Kidney Day through a passage of a Senate resolution. State Senator Doris Turner has been an advocate for kidney disease awareness.  She says that across the state, people are silently suffering with the pain and hardship from the disease. 

Chronic kidney disease is a progressive, gradual loss of kidney function, that results in a decrease in the ability to remove waste. CKD can progress to end-stage renal failure, which can be fatal unless the patient receives dialysis or a kidney transplant. 

The average wait for a transplant is 3.6 years and Senator Turner says that this measure will educate the public before they get to the need of an actual transplant. In 2020 only 1 out of 4 candidates received a transplant. Regular screenings and early detection can help prevent the progress of chronic kidney disease.  Senator Turner says it is essential to raise awareness and stress the importance of prevention and early detection.  She hopes to get individuals screened and treated before the disease progresses to kidney failure. 

The motion passed on Thursday.  Some signs and symptoms of kidney disease are nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, fatigue, sleep problems, urinating more or less, and decreased mental sharpness.