NN&I - August 2010

Empowerment 40 Nephrology News & Issues August 2010Subscribe to our free eNewsletter at www.nephronline.comProfessionals use 'Sydney' to help lighten the burden of kidney diseaseBy Marty Bergman, MS, PA-CSydney the Traveling Kidney is mak -ing his way across the country to raise awareness of kidney disease and to pro-mote the National Kidney Foundation's "End the Wait" initiative (www.kidney. org/news/end_the_wait). Sydney was "born" in Texas. Laurie Benton, RN, PA-C, education chair of the NKF's Council of Advanced Practitioners (NKF-CAP), designed Sydney to be an ambassador much like Flat Stanley, known to many school children. After leaving Laurie, his home in Texas, and great guacamole, Sydney experienced the winter sports of Colorado as he espoused the impor -tance of regular exercise. Perhaps one of Sydney's most important visits of 2009 was to Washington, D.C., where he expressed his appreciation to Senator Blanche Lincoln of Arkansas for her support and participation in passing the recent landmark health care reform legislation. He was part of the commit -tee that presented Sen. Lincoln with the Nostradamus Award from CAP-NKF in recognition of her work. While in the Capitol, Sydney discussed the needs of transplant patients and pushed for cov -erage of transplant medications with NKF CEO John Davis and the Senate Finance Committee. In early 2010, Sydney headed south to Greensboro, N.C. where he met Randy, a dialysis patient who owns a quilt shop. Randy's staff offered to spruce up Sydney and make him more durable for travel. Sporting a fresh new suit, Sydney traveled to the NKF's 2010 Spring Clinical Meeting in Orlando, Fla. Sydney met with NKF leaders, made the Dr. Bergman is a nephrology physician assistant with Carolina Kidney Associates, Greensboro, N.C.rounds at the poster sessions, talked with vendors, and renal team members. Advanced practitioners were excited about signing up for Sidney's visits to their states. Sydney will be meeting all ages in many venues, including nurs-ing homes, kidney camps, and private practice in 2010. Many who met Sydney were disap-pointed that he or others like him were not for sale. CAP is investigating the possibility of marketing a "little Syd" in the future. To find out more about Sydney's travels and how he is promoting kid-ney health awareness, log on to www. kidney.org/professionals/CAP/sydney. cfm. If you would like Sydney to visit you, contact Deb Hain, NP, at haindeb@ aol.com, his travel agent. Sydney on his visit to Texas (center), in the arms of an appreciative fan (top), and on a recent trip to the Capitol (bottom). Empowerment_NNI-0810_8.indd 40 7/28/10 8:44:05 AM