Who are we?
We are the Kidney Disease Screening and Awareness Program (KDSAP) of UC Berkeley! Our organization addresses the issue of chronic kidney disease (CKD) in the Bay Area. CKD is known as a silent killer because its symptoms are undetectable until the final stages of the disease, at which point the damage to patients’ kidneys is irreversible. Kidney disease affects 1 in 3 adults and is the 9th leading cause of death in the U.S. Due to unequal access to healthcare in the United States, people at risk for CKD are often unaware that they may be at risk until it is too late. Furthermore, of the two treatment options for kidney disease, 1) kidney transplants are often unavailable to patients as it is very difficult to find a match from the transplant list, and 2) dialysis is a costly procedure both in time and money. Our free kidney screenings in the Bay Area focus on prevention, helping high-risk populations monitor and maintain their kidney health before it's too late.
Here at KDSAP, we provide free kidney screenings and awareness events to all, prioritizing outreach to minority populations who are at higher risk, including Asian Americans, African Americans, Hispanics, and other underserved communities. By partnering with local community centers, churches, and non-profits, we ensure our services reach those who need them most. Our screenings include free one-on-one consultations with physicians, and we are mentored by UCSF nephrologists who guide us in delivering accurate kidney health information. Most of our funding is directed toward purchasing supplies and creating awareness materials for our screenings. As a student organization, we rely on fundraising and community grants in order to carry out our mission.
Volunteers after a screening at Suitcase Clinic, Spring 2024.
What do we do?
As an organization, we have two primary objectives: to hold free kidney screenings throughout the Bay Area and organize awareness events for the public to learn more about maintaining kidney health. Our work addresses and advances health equity by ensuring that all the services that we provide (e.g. screenings and awareness events) are free and open to everyone. We distribute information about these events to as broad audiences as possible. We make targeted efforts to reach the underserved in our community by working with community centers, churches, and other non-profit organizations to publicize our services to those who need them the most. For our screenings, we partner with physicians who provide one-on-one consultations with patients.
Our free kidney screenings hold the following stations:
1) Registration
2) Urinalysis
3) Blood Pressure
4) Blood Glucose
5) BMI/Waist-Hip Ratio
6) Physician Consultation
7) Wellness & Nutrition with a Renal Dietician
We are a rapidly growing organization, and in the past years have expanded the number of screenings we hold per year and the locations in which we hold them. For this semester, from early October to mid-December, we plan on having 6 screenings in different locations across the Bay Area. We would greatly appreciate your help as we work towards increasing engagement with the community and making a positive impact on more people’s health.
What will your money go towards?
Your donation will go towards the purchase of equipment we use in our screenings, such as urinalysis machines, blood glucose monitors, and test strips. Each screening costs approximately $250. This includes $100 for bulk supplies per screening (hand sanitizer, table cloths, alcohol wipes, alcohol pads, tissue paper, bandaids, cotton pads, batteries, etc.) and $3 per patient (urinalysis strips, urine cups, paper bag for urine cups, blood glucose test strips, lancets). Every semester, we also carry out mock screenings (2x $20) and trainings (2x $20) to prepare our general member volunteers with the skills needed to work at screenings. We will spend around $520 on outreach care packages and post-screening resource pamphlets on free local clinics and aftercare services. We spend $300 on our awareness presentations including fliers, banners, and other materials. We will spend around $100 on publicity flyers for recruitment, and $310 for club socials for general members. Included in each category are transportation costs to and from screening locations, awareness presentations, and fundraising opportunities if not accessible by public transportation.
In the event that we do not reach our fundraising goal, the funds that we do raise will continue to be used to support our screening operations as broken down above. By donating to our organization, you will help provide the public with more information about an often-overlooked disease and help people all around the Bay Area improve their health!
Stay connected with us:
Instagram: @berkeleykdsap
Facebook: www.facebook.com/ucberkeleykdsap
Email: berkeleykdsap@gmail.com
You will receive a personalized thank you email from one of our board members!
You will receive a personalized thank you video from one of our officers!
We would like to show our gratitude by presenting the names of our donors or a business of their choice for this campaign on our UC Berkeley KDSAP website if you claim this perk!
We will announce your name or business at our screening in front of our volunteers and patients, thanking you for your contribution.