Saving Grace Kidney Foundation to host first community awareness event

ALBANY — Marsha Parker, CEO and founder of the Saving Grace Kidney Foundation, addressed the Dougherty County Commission on Monday to preview the upcoming “Kidneys Matter” community health event scheduled for March 12.

The event will be the first annual collaboration between the foundation and Dougherty County Recreation and Parks — a partnership Parker says she hopes will begin an ongoing effort in Albany and surrounding communities to increase awareness of kidney disease.

According to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, chronic kidney disease, or CKD, affects more than 1 in 7 U.S. adults, an estimated 35.5 million Americans.

For Americans with diabetes or high blood pressure — the two most common causes of kidney disease — the risk of CKD is even greater. About 1 in 3 people with diabetes and 1 in 5 people with high blood pressure have kidney disease. Parker noted that despite the prevalence of kidney disease in the United States, as many as 9 in 10 adults with CKD are not aware they have it.

Parker began dialysis treatments after being unexpectedly diagnosed with kidney failure in 2015 and said a lack of information surrounding her condition inspired her to start the foundation.

“I felt like I couldn’t work anymore, couldn’t go anywhere, couldn’t do anything,” she said. “I was restricted on what I had to eat, what to drink. No one told me what to do or who to ask and when to do it.”

After eight years of dialysis treatments, Parker underwent a kidney transplant, a pivotal experience that she said changed the direction of her life.

“After my transplant, God gave me a vision for Marsha’s Saving Grace Kidney Foundation and the Kidney Peer Support Group,” Parker said.

The Saving Grace Kidney Foundation works to educate, support and advocate for dialysis and post-transplant patients. The organization provides education and support for patients undergoing dialysis or living after a transplant, including workshops, informational materials and one-on-one mentoring to help patients understand dialysis and explore transplant options.

Parker said she hopes many community members will attend the upcoming “Kidneys Matter” event, which will focus on expanding knowledge about kidney health, prevention and early detection.

“I thank God for giving me this vision,” Parker said. “I thank him for standing beside me, supporting me and encouraging me to go to the next level.”

The public event will take place from 10 a.m. to noon March 12 at 210 Thornton Drive in Albany.