"The American Kidney Fund (AKF) does what no other nonprofit does—we provide the financial safety net for our nation’s dialysis patients, helping people cope with an extremely challenging, life-threatening condition—while also working to prevent new cases of kidney disease. Nearly half a million people in this country have kidney failure and rely on dialysis to survive. We’re dedicated to ensuring that every patient has access to health care, and that every person at risk for kidney disease is empowered to prevent it. It’s important to have the accurate facts about our program. The American Kidney Fund was created almost 50 years ago to address the uniquely challenging circumstances facing dialysis patients. Kidney failure is a life-changing disease that forces patients into dialysis treatment three times a week and often robs them of their ability to work and to lead the kind of productive lives they and their loved ones want. For the nearly 100,000 patients who turn to AKF each year, our advocacy and support stand between them and financial ruin. Surely these patients deserve that. THE NEED FOR FINANCIAL SUPPORT FOR DIALYSIS PATIENTS IS REAL Kidney failure devastates people physically, emotionally and financially. For nearly 50 years, the American Kidney Fund (AKF) has been the safety net for low-income dialysis patients, helping them afford access to the health care that keeps them alive. One of our programs, the Health Insurance Premium Program, makes sure that low-income dialysis patients can afford their health insurance." http://www.kidneyfund.org/therealstory/assets/setting-the-record-straight.pdf