Arizona Kidney Foundation Launches New Campaign

PHOENIX──“I am proud of my 10-inch scar!” said Robin Cote. “I donated my kidney to a very good friend, so he would have a better chance to live. He survived four more years, and I am living proof, 25 years later, of the power of kidney donation.”

Cote, 40, is a retired radio personality and producer turned actress in the Arizona Kidney Foundation’s new campaign, “Know Your GFR.”

The campaign will feature a series of 30-second public services announcements, urging local citizens to get tested and know their GFR.

As a kidney donor, Cote understands the importance bringing awareness to kidney health. Her experience with the disease allows her to convey a powerful message about the importance of being tested.

“I started out in the music business in 1974 and in a span of about 10 years, I probably attended 42 funerals,” said Cote. “I was running in an eclectic mix that included a lot of tortured souls and fragile musicians who succumbed from numerous circumstances, including drugs, alcohol, suicide, cancer and traffic accidents. When I learned that my dear friend needed a kidney, I was immediately tested for a match. I saw it as a gift, at no cost, and I was not about to lose someone else.”

Along with stressing the significance of being tested, Cote hopes promote the benefits of organ donation.

“What better way to remember a person than to donate their organs?” said Cote. “In fact, if you really want to be ‘green,’ recycle your organs.”

The PSAs help memorialize the AKF’s 45^th anniversary and the message they hope to express within the community.

“I can’t think of a better way to commemorate our 45^th anniversary here in Arizona than to inspire high risk groups to speak with their doctors about kidney disease,” said Jeffrey D. Neff, CEO of the AKF. “The ‘Know Your GFR’campaign’s goal is to raise awareness to the fact that early detection is now available, and critical. By knowing your GFR, you can make a change in time to make a significant difference, allowing for a much higher quality of life.”

The Arizona Kidney Foundation is a non-profit organization dedicated to helping kidney disease sufferers across the state overcome the medical, financial, and logistical challenges of chronic kidney disease. For more information, call (602) 840-1644 or visit www.azkidney.org.