Memorial Health System celebrates World Kidney Day on March 11 by promoting education on the vital functions performed by our kidneys and raising awareness of factors that may put people at risk for kidney disease.

Kidneys make urine, remove toxins and excess water from our blood, help control blood pressure, produce red blood cells, control blood stream levels of minerals like sodium and potassium and help keep bones healthy.

A person can lose up to 90 percent of kidney function before experiencing symptoms indicating a problem. Signs of advancing chronic kidney disease include swollen ankles, fatigue, difficulty concentrating, decreased appetite, blood in the urine and foamy urine. Kidney disease affects approximately 850 million people worldwide.

Are you at risk? If you answer yes to any of the following questions, talk with your doctor about testing for kidney disease:

•          Do you have high blood pressure?

•          Do you suffer from diabetes?

•          Do you have a family history of kidney disease?

•          Are you overweight?

•          Do you smoke?

•          Are you over 50 years?

•          Are you of African, Hispanic, Aboriginal or Asian origin?

Early detection and treatment are critical to help patients with kidney disease delay or prevent kidney failure.

For more information about nephrology services at Decatur Memorial Hospital, please visit https://www.dmhcares.com/care-treatment/other-services/nephrology/.

For more information about transplant services through Memorial Health System, visit the Alan G. Birtch, MD, Center for Transplant Services, MemorialMedical.com/services/transplant-services.