DaVita, Alonzo Mourning, George Lopez Team Up To Raise Kidney Disease Awareness In Public Service Announcement

DaVita®, a division of DaVita HealthCare Partners Inc. (NYSE: DVA) and a leading provider of kidney care services, today announced the launch of a national television public service announcement (PSA) to raise awareness on the risks of kidney disease. March marks National Kidney Month, and March 14 is World Kidney Day.

The announcement features seven-time NBA All-star Alonzo Mourning and actor and comedian George Lopez, both kidney transplant recipients.

“The fact is, one in 10 adults* in the U.S. has kidney disease,” says Lopez in the announcement. “And it often has no symptoms, so know your risk.”

The leading causes of kidney disease are diabetes and hypertension. African-Americans are also four times more likely to suffer from chronic kidney disease than their white counterparts, and Hispanics are twice as likely. The risks for minorities are especially great, Mourning notes in the PSA.

“A simple blood test may save your kidneys,” Mourning concludes.

A risk assessment quiz is available online at www.davita.com/kidneyaware. The site also encourages those with risk factors to take a pledge to get tested and to send electronic cards to friends and family to encourage them to take the risk assessment.

“At DaVita, we see the challenges of kidney failure every day in our patients’ lives,” said Kent Thiry, co-chairman and CEO of DaVita HealthCare Partners. “This announcement is designed to get everyone thinking about kidney disease, learning their risks, and then – if they are at risk – getting a simple blood test to screen for kidney disease.”

DaVita will also be launching a Denver-area kidney disease awareness campaign to help make its headquarters city the most kidney aware city in the U.S. The campaign will include daytime and primetime airings of the national PSA as well as transit advertising and a variety of public events throughout the year.

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