Health
Seattle Kidney Health
Fest for African
American families
O
n Saturday, June 2, Northwest Kidney Centers holds
its 10th annual Kidney Health Fest for African
American Families, featuring free health screenings,
entertainment and healthy food samples made by local
celebrity chefs.
The free event runs from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Van Asselt
Elementary (formerly the African American Academy),
8311 Beacon Ave. S., in Seattle. This year’s theme is “Cel-
ebrating 10 years toward kidney wellness: Mind, body and
soul.”
Participants can receive a free kidney health screening
and private consultation with a doctor about the results.
Diabetes, high blood pressure and obesity all contribute to
the current epidemic of kidney disease, which can affect
African Americans and other minority groups more than
Caucasians.
The morning includes a health education program hosted
Disease
prevention and
treatment are
the goals
by Ron Sims, former King County executive and former
deputy secretary, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban
Development.
Seattle celebrity chefs will serve a free tasting menu at
lunch time, and the day also includes entertainment, music,
exhibits, fitness demonstrations, an obstacle course and a
chance to win prizes.
As the mission of Northwest Kidney Centers includes
community outreach, co-host churches include Damascus
Baptist, First AME, Freedom Church of Seattle, Goodwill
Missionary Baptist, Immaculate Conception, Liberation
Ministries, Mt. Zion Baptist, New Beginnings Christian
Fellowship, New Hope Missionary Baptist, Pentecostal
Covenant Church, Southside Church of Christ, St. Mary’s,
Tabernacle Missionary Baptist and Walker Chapel AME.
Everyone is welcome to attend the Fest, which is com-
pletely free!
In the health screenings, Northwest Kidney Centers will
provide three simple tests to assess a participant’s risk of
kidney disease:
Blood pressure check
• Test for protein in a urine sample
• Test for creatinine in a blood sample
Washington Oral Health Foundation and Medical Teams
International will do free dental screening and treatment for
adults at the Fest. (Children will be referred to the free den-
tal program that is operated out of the Boys & Girls Club.)
Free mammograms and women’s health exams will be
provided by African Americans Reach and Teach Health
Ministry, the YWCA and Swedish Mobile Mammography.
“Do your friends and family a favor, and bring them with
you to the Fest,” said Dr. Bessie Young, a Seattle kidney
specialist who has chaired the community organizing com-
mittee since the Fest began. “We’ll have opportunities to
learn and have fun for people of all ages. Kidney disease
runs in families, but you can take action to make sure your
family stays healthy.”
One in seven American adults has kidney disease. In the
African American community, the number increases four-
fold. Although African Americans make up 12 percent of
the U.S. population, 35 percent of individuals with kidney
failure are African American. In addition, African American
men are 10 to 14 times more likely to develop kidney fail-
ure due to high blood pressure than Caucasian men in the
same age group.
Participants in the Kidney Health Fest will learn how to
improve their lives to avoid kidney disease. This includes:
• Treating high blood pressure and diabetes, two of the
leading causes of kidney failure.
• Reducing added salt and processed, packaged and fast
food.
• Eating healthy to avoid obesity.
• Exercising at least 30 minutes a day, five days a week.
• Naproxen, which can damage kidneys.
For more information about the event, visit www.nwkid-
ney.org/fest
Page 8 The Portland and Seattle Skanner May 2, 2012