ROCKVILLE, Md.— The American Kidney Fund (AKF) recently released its newest installment in the Kidney Heroes podcast series, which recognizes Sgt. Scott Blaylock, a veteran of the Iraq War who is living with kidney disease.
In the podcast, Blaylock shares his challenges of maintaining kidney health while serving military duty in Mosul, Iraq.
Blaylock discovered that he had high blood pressure during a routine Army physical prior to deployment, and a later test revealed his kidneys were functioning at less than 50 percent of capacity. However, he has managed his kidney disease by watching his diet and maintaining a regular exercise routine.
“I congratulate Scott and all of the AKF Kidney Heroes and thank them for helping others by sharing their powerful and unique stories,” said LaVarne A. Burton, president and CEO of the American Kidney Fund. “I hope their stories can inspire others the way they have inspired me.”
The entire AKF series is available for download on the American Kidney Fund Kidney Heroes podcast page or on iTunes. Previous installments in the Kidney Heroes podcast series feature the following:
- Kodey Weir, a winner of the American Kidney Fund 2010 Calendar Kids Art Contest, an annual search for drawings to illustrate the organization’s wall calendar. His artwork is published on the December page of the nationally distributed calendar.
- Pat Meyers, an AKF Patient Advocate, who recently traveled to Washington, DC, for World Kidney Day on the Hill, where she met with congressional leaders to raise awareness about kidney disease.
- Doug Penrod, a Registered Nurse and kidney donor. Doug’s passion for nephrology, his selfless sacrifice, and his compassion for kidney patients make him an American Kidney Fund Kidney Hero.
For more information about the American Kidney Fund, visit www.kidneyfund.org.
