Kidney Transplant Patient Portland OR - Impact of Your Support

Impact of Your Support

Posted on 11/30/2021 by Maggie Mackenzie

November 30th 2021
GivingTuesday2021

Dear Community Member,

On behalf of the Board, I remain grateful for your ongoing support of Northwest Kidney Kids. Over the past year, the organization provided new and substantive programming to support its mission to empower regional children towards life-long success.

The fact that this expanded programming has occurred during the pandemic speaks volumes to the dedication of the families, friends, and community members working in concert to enhance the lives of the kidney kids and their families.

I am pleased to highlight these innovative initiatives and their expected impact on the kidney kids.

NW Kidney Kids now has a comprehensive Mentoring Program featuring three lines of outreach: towards new families; regarding preteen and teenage kidney kids directly; and a focus on siblings of kidney kids.

The organization engages with the kidney kids throughout the year. This includes a
panoply of Camp style events. Family Day in August at Willamette Mission State Park
brought the community together for fun-filled outdoor events, fostering old and new
friendships. (Pending state guidelines, NW Kidney Kids plans to reinvigorate the
camping experience this coming year with Winter Retreat and Youth Summer Camp and
a Family Camp Weekend.)

The Young Ambassadors Program is up and running and popular! Young adults who
have lived the youth kidney experience and “graduated” from NWKK, now volunteer as
mentors, counselors, and program developers for NWKK. Through their service, they
exemplify the lasting legacy of the organization.

Through its Clinical and Educational Support networks, NW Kidney Kids provides both
medical and emotional support for patients and families, ranging from blood pressure
monitors to art therapy for children on dialysis.

And entering in its fifth year, NW Kidney Kids will offer the Suzanne Billings Memorial
Scholarship to another kidney kid dedicated to their personal journey in higher education
or a career vocation.

The backstory to all these wonderful programs is the devotion and dedication to the mission by the staff and volunteers of NW Kidney Kids. Two of our staff members, Maggie and Mackenzie, sustained enthusiasm, provided leadership, and creatively managed so much of what NW Kidney Kids did this past year, all the while undergoing successful kidney transplants themselves. My heart and best wishes goes out to each of them as it does to each of you for your ongoing engagement and support.

Last year, I was hopeful that the pandemic would pass and we would return to a more normal pattern of community engagement. The events of the past year have taught otherwise. From the perspective of this organization, the pandemic provided challenges that inspired innovation and aided the community, and that is a lesson I am forever grateful to have learned and applied.

As you review your end-of-the-year gift giving and look forward to a new and better year, we hope you will make a donation toward NW Kidney Kids and its essential and evolving programming.
All my best wishes to you,

David Rozansky MD, PhD, Board President, NW Kidney Kids

If you wish to donate on this Giving Tuesday head over to our Donate Page!

Acerca de Nosotros

Nuestra Historia

En el 2006, un grupo de padres y profesionales apasionados fundaron Northwest Kidney Kids con el objetivo principal de mantener el campamento familiar Kidney Kids. Este programa de verano inicialmente involucró a 15 a 17 familias que se unieron para brindarse apoyo mutuo. Después de establecer con éxito a Northwest Kidney Kids como una organización sin fines de lucro registrada 501(c)(3), los fundadores colaboraron anualmente para mantener las tradiciones de los campamentos familiares. En los 15 años transcurridos desde su creación, el personal comprometido, la junta directiva y los miembros de la comunidad de Northwest Kidney Kids han seguido apoyando a los niños y las familias afectadas por la enfermedad renal crónica. Nuestros programas se han ampliado para incluir dos campamentos anuales adicionales, iniciativas de apoyo clínico y numerosos proyectos de recursos.

Nuestro Fundador

El Dr. Randall Jenkins, también conocido como "Dr. J" por sus pacientes, es el nefrólogo pediátrico con más experiencia en el área de Portland. Ha estado involucrado en la creación y gestión de campamentos para niños con enfermedades renales desde mediados de los años 1990. En el 2006, fundó NW Kidney Kids, Inc. para continuar con estos campamentos y ampliar los programas. El Dr. Jenkins es el ex presidente de la junta (2006-junio de 2013) y el actual jefe de división del Departamento de Nefrología Pediátrica del Doernbecher Children's Hospital. Continúa apoyando a la organización de muchas maneras. En su escaso tiempo libre, le gusta esquiar.

Nuestra Misión

La misión de Northwest Kidney Kids es ofrecer esperanza y apoyo a niños con enfermedad renal crónica y a sus familias. Brindamos actividades grupales, servicios de prevención y programas educativos que empoderan a los Kidney Kids para alcanzar el éxito a lo largo de toda su vida.

Nuestra Visión

Nuestra visión es ver a cada niño que vive con enfermedad renal y a su familia prosperar. Nuestra esperanza, al acompañar a los Kidney Kids, es que aprendan a tomar el control de su salud, a manejar su condición y a abrazar su futuro. Nos esforzamos por construir una comunidad solidaria en la que las familias se sientan cuidadas y alentadas. Nuestro objetivo es brindar un entorno seguro y lleno de cariño donde cada miembro de la familia Kidney Kid pueda aprender, crecer y alcanzar su máximo potencial.
Como organización, NW Kidney Kids se esfuerza por ser autosustentable y reconocida como una fuerza compasiva, respetada y bien valorada por operar con integridad. Queremos ser vistos como una influencia positiva dentro de la comunidad de la enfermedad renal, tanto a nivel local como nacional. Para lograrlo, buscamos constantemente mejorar y ampliar nuestros programas para que sean relevantes y valiosos para las necesidades de más niños y familias.

Northwest Kidney Kids, PO Box 230075, Portland, OR 97281; (503) 893-5671; nwkidneykids.org; 6/11/2026; Related Phrases: Kidney Transplant Patient Portland OR;