It has been a pleasure to serve in the capacity of Executive Director of the Mississippi Kidney Foundation since May 2022. When I took this job, I pledged to be dedicated to ALL patients of the state of Mississippi, not just in metropolitan areas. With this vow, I approach my job with unbridled joy daily, simply because we are working to save lives through means of education and inspiration. As I’ve stated before, being in this position is extremely important to me because I was once a dialysis patient. I still recall the days of wondering, “why me” or questioning every decision I had ever made in my life. I understand the emotions and overwhelming feelings of loneliness of dialysis and the struggle of various medications and doctor visits. With this experience, I have connected with dozens of patients and family members and provided a soundboard during their tough times.
Since I have become the Executive Director, we have been able to accomplish some outstanding goals, but this is only the beginning. Despite our number one goal being kidney failure prevention, we have extended our outreach like never before. I have also had the pleasure of advocating for patients with several of Mississippi’s most powerful politicians. I have met with Congressman Bennie Thompson, Congressman Michael Guest’s office, Senator Roger Wicker’s Office, and Lt. Governor Delbert Hosemann’s office, advocating and lobbying on behalf of the Mississippi Kidney Foundation. The Mississippi Kidney Foundation will take on a larger role in advocacy as we will push for the passage of critical kidney legislation, including the Living Donors Protection Act. We have met with the United State Department of Justice and the Environmental Protection Agency to discuss the impacts of the Jackson Water Crisis on the dialysis population in the metro area. I’ve strengthened our relationship with the American Nephrology Nurses Association, SHIP (State Health Improvement Plan), the Mississippi Alliance of Non-Profits Health Affinity group, and the Mississippi State Department of Health Diabetes Council. We’ve also created the Mississippi Kidney Cares Podcast and a virtual support group that is free for all patients to join. Our partnership with Jackson State University, the Mississippi Department of Health, and the Health Equity Coalition of Mississippi in a $162K grant surrounding kidney disease has been a success, with the outreach touching hundreds of lives of younger and older people alike.
Despite all these accomplishments and great plans, we still need your help! Our number one priority is to ensure that we can financially support the patients, and as inflation continues to rise, so have financial difficulties. The Mississippi Kidney Foundation provides Emergency Assistance to dialysis patients who are dealing with needs for food, bills, and transportation assistance. We also provide cookbooks and other educational materials to family members and support groups in Mississippi. Your support can ensure that every dialysis patient in the state can receive emergency assistance during their dialysis process. $20 today can help save a life tomorrow.
