The third World Kidney Day: looking back and thinking forward.

摘要

March 13th, 2008, heralds the third annual World Kidney Day (Fig. 1) - an event that will be celebrated in more than 60 countries. We take this opportunity to recount how this concept has gained worldwide traction and momentum and to reflect on the challenges faced by its creators and supporters.There have probably been many individuals who have conceived of marking one calendar day in which to call attention to the seriousness of kidney disease globally; many may even have shared their thoughts with others. But there is one individual who not only conceived the idea but was persistent in persuading many in leadership positions to bring this notion -a World Kidney Day - to fruition. This individual is also the founder of the International Federation of Kidney Foundations (IFKF): Joel Kopple (Fig. 2). He first conceived the idea of a World Kidney Day in the spring of 2003, recognizing that chronic kidney disease is a global public health threat but is typically low on government health agendas; that it can be detected with simple and cheap tests yet national detection programs are rare; and that while it can be treated with existing, effective therapies, few people with chronic kidney disease receive appropriate health care.