There probably have been many individuals who 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 WKD, to fruition. This individual is also the founder of the International Federation of Kidney Foundations (IFKF): Joel Kopple. He first conceived the idea of WKD in spring 2003, recognizing that chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a global public health threat, but typically is low on government health agendas; that it can be detected by using simple and inexpensive tests, yet national detection programs are rare; and although it can be treated with existing effective therapies, few people with CKD receive appropriate health care
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