WASHINGTON—Dialysis Patient Citizens (DPC) announced July 28 that it has added dialysis patient Danny Iniguez to its board of directors.
DPC’s board members are appointed to a two-year term and include current and former dialysis patients, clinicians and others who are dedicated to improving all dialysis patients’ quality of life.
“As the nation’s largest dialysis patient-led organization, DPC looks to our board of directors to provide a greater understanding of the current environment in kidney care; what is most important to patients and their families; and what policy issues are most significant to patients,” said Chad Lennox, Executive Director of DPC. “We are pleased to welcome Danny as our newest DPC Board Member. He has been an active patient advocate for many years—educating patients directly in their dialysis facilities, traveling to Washington, D.C., to lobby for important legislation and even going back to school to become a medical interpreter for Spanish-speaking people who may have language barriers affecting access to health care. Danny is an inspiration to DPC’s members and we look forward to working together on important issues affecting dialysis patients across our country.”
DPC a nationwide, non-profit patient advocacy organization comprised of more than 22,000 dialysis and pre-dialysis patients, caregivers and family members working to advance the quality of life of dialysis patients.
Iniguez, of Selma, CA, was only 12 years old when he learned he had kidney failure following a bicycle accident. Shortly after the accident, his mother donated one of her kidneys to him. However, his body rejected the transplanted kidney in 2000 and Iniguez was forced to begin dialysis treatments. Iniguez was temporarily put on hemodialysis but now undergoes peritoneal dialysis three times a week for 10 hours while he sleeps. During the period when he was on hemodialysis, Iniguez discovered his passion for really getting to know his fellow dialysis patients and helping them remain positive and optimistic. He began visiting his dialysis facility on his days off from treatment to visit with patients and help raise their spirits.
Iniguez discovered DPC shortly after beginning dialysis. As a DPC Patient Ambassador, he has been very active in lobbying for legislation that would extend how long Medicare will pay for anti-rejection drugs, which are crucial after a kidney transplant in that they keep people’s bodies from attacking the transplanted organs. Iniguez and other DPC members traveled to Washington, D.C. to meet with their members of Congress to ask for their support for this legislation.
Currently, Iniguez is on a waiting list for another transplant, but he feels that being on dialysis has made him stronger and has given him a completely different outlook on life. “I am truly honored to join DPC’s board of directors and be a part of their important voice within the kidney community as we continue to work to educate Members of Congress and the general public about the importance kidney education,” he said. “As a Hispanic man, it is particularly important for me to highlight the fact that minority populations are at an increased risk for developing kidney disease, and I want to urge others to familiarize themselves with its risk factors so that they can consult their doctors on the best ways to manage their kidney health.”
