10/8/2008 - How a Firefighter Fought for his Kidney

For Immediate Release

New RSN KidneyTalk Show Uploaded

GLENDALE, CA (October 8, 2008)— Interrupting a career of 37 years as firefighter, fire marshall, and Chief of Emergency Services saving other people’s lives and possessions, John Garcia found himself locked in a battle with CKD for his own life. He had nothing but flu symptoms when his doctor called up and said, “Get to the hospital, your kidneys are failing!” This latest KidneyTalk show podcast spotlights the story of Garcia’s heroic fight, his experience with home hemodialysis, and a moving, hopeful tale of family strength and love, illuminating the roles his son and daughter played as caregiver and kidney donor.

Kidney Talk is pod cast bi-weekly on Tuesdays and is available at RSNhope.org and on iTunes. All shows are archived for easy access and available 24/7. KidneyTalk is hosted by Lori Hartwell, long-time kidney patient and founder/President of the Renal Support Network, and by actor/director/producer Stephen Furst, also a kidney patient, who created the role of the lovable freshman Flounder in “National Lampoon’s Animal House.”

KidneyTalk has addressed a wide range of important topics for patients with kidney disease, including anemia, secondary hyperparathyroidism/calciphylaxis, bundling of dialysis services, and the Dialysis Outcomes and Practice Patterns Study. The shows are available either on CDs or on the RSNhope.org website, and can be listened to online or downloaded via iTunes to a computer, iPOD, or MP3 player. Because of its topical issues for kidney patients, KidneyTalk appeals to a large segment of the population that has this chronic illness.

Kidney patient Bill Dant says, “Listening to it is inspiring; I think about the show afterwards because it makes me feel both better and happier, and like I want to go back in swinging with what I have learned.”

26 million Americans –1 in 7—has chronic kidney disease and 20 million more are at risk! Even those who are not diagnosed learn the early warning signs of chronic kidney disease and can often take action to avoid it.
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