Senate Resolution No. 443 BY: Senator RIVERA MEMORIALIZING Governor Kathy Hochul to proclaim March 2025, as Kidney Disease Awareness Month in the State of New York WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body to memorialize Governor Kathy Hochul to proclaim March 2025, as Kidney Disease Awareness Month in the State of New York, in conjunction with the observance of National Kidney Month; and WHEREAS, Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a major health problem affecting millions of New Yorkers and an estimated 1 in 7 Americans; and WHEREAS, CKD is a progressive condition in which kidneys do not work as well as they should to filter waste, toxins, and fluids from your body; and WHEREAS, CKD can progress quickly or take years to worsen, and is described as having five stages, and progression through each stage can eventually lead to kidney failure, also known as End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD), which can be treated with a kidney replacement or dialysis; and WHEREAS, The incidence of ESRD is rising fast, with nearly 555,000 Americans currently receiving treatment and more than 260,000 people with functioning kidney transplants; and WHEREAS, Today, more than 7,000 New Yorkers are on the transplant waiting list; New York State encourages all to join the State's tissue and organ donation registry; and WHEREAS, Due to the fact that there are little to no signs of the condition, most individuals are not aware they have kidney disease until it reaches the later stages, thus making laboratory tests critical in the diagnosis; some symptoms of CKD can include changes in urination, swelling of the feet, ankles, hands, and/or face, fatigue, weakness, shortness of breath, ammonia breath or ammonia or metallic taste in mouth, back or flank pain, itching, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, and if diabetic, more hypoglycemic episodes; and WHEREAS, There are genetic factors that can increase an individual's risk for kidney disease, and one such genetic factor is having variants(mutations) in the apolipoprotein L1 (APOL1) gene; and WHEREAS, People are more likely to have APOL1 gene variants if they are from Western or Central Africa or have an ancestor who came from these regions, and these variants can increase susceptibility for APOL1-Mediated Kidney Disease (AMKD), a rapidly progressive form of kidney disease that can lead to kidney failure; and WHEREAS, Diabetes and hypertension are the two leading causes of chronic kidney disease which strikes minorities disproportionately; and WHEREAS, Kidney failure has a disproportionate impact on people of color; the prevalence among Black Americans is over 4 times that of White Americans, and the prevalence among Native American and Americans of Hispanic ethnicity is over twice that of their White counterparts; and WHEREAS, Also at particular risk are the elderly, as the chance of developing kidney disease increases significantly with age; and WHEREAS, People afflicted with chronic kidney disease typically develop other chronic and life-threatening conditions such as cardiovascular disease; and WHEREAS, Early intervention is the best method for managing the complications of chronic kidney disease; and WHEREAS, The American Kidney Fund works on behalf of the 1 in 7 Americans living with kidney disease, and the millions more at risk, to support people wherever they are in their fight against kidney disease from prevention through post-transplant living; and WHEREAS, The Northeast Kidney Foundation provides early intervention, community education and support programs for those suffering from chronic kidney disease; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to memorialize Governor Kathy Hochul to proclaim March 2025, as Kidney Disease Awareness Month in the State of New York; and be it further RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be transmitted to The Honorable Kathy Hochul, Governor of the State of New York.