Awareness For Polycystic Kidney Disease

Hi my name is Lisa, I have formed this page for awareness for Polycystic Kidney Disease. This is also a place where people with PKD can meet others with PKD. Where we can talk about and share our experience with living with PKD.
I want to get the word out about PKD. I feel like with more awareness of PKD, there might one day be a cure and/or treatment for PKD; with more awareness, more donations are made for research.
The facts about PKD:
*12,000 Tennesseans are affected by Polycystic Kidney Disease
*Polycystic Kidney Disease is the most common genetic, life threatening disease affecting more than 600,000 Americans and an estimated 12.5 million people worldwide - regardless of sex, age, race or ethnic origin. In fact, PKD affects more people than cystic fibrosis, muscular dystrophy, hemophilia, Down syndrome and sickle cell anemia — combined.
*Polycystic means multiple cysts. In effect, PKD denotes multiple cysts on each kidney. These cysts grow and multiply over time, also causing the mass of the kidney to increase. Ultimately, the diseased kidney shuts down causing end-stage renal disease for which dialysis and transplantation are the only forms of treatment.
*PKD comes in two forms. Autosomal Dominant Polycystic Kidney Disease (ADPKD) is the most common, affecting 1-in-400 to 1-in-500 adults. Autosomal Recessive Polycystic Kidney Disease (ARPKD) is far less common, affecting 1-in-10,000 at a far younger age, including newborns, infants and children.
Did You Know:
*That PKD is also found in felines. It is more commonly to be found in Persian/Exotic cats.
*More than 350,000 people are on dialysis
*By 2010, an estimated 600,000 people will be on dialysis
*20 million people are in the early stages of kidney disease
*100,000 people begin dialysis each year
*It is extremely rare to have PKD affecting only one kidney.
*Tolvaptan drug has already been approved in Japan.
*PKD affects nearly 1 in 1,000 Americans
*As many as half of people with PKD have cysts on the liver
*More than 60% of people with PKD will develop kidney failure and be forced to depend on dialysis or a transplant to live.
*PKD is the fourth leading cause of kidney failure. ..
*Elevated blood pressure occurs in approximately 40 percent of PKD patients by the time they are in their 20s.
*Elevated blood pressure and increased left venticular mass are assoicated with Congestive Heart Disease.
*These are all good reasons for PKD patients to control their blood pressure. The HALT study is the first clinical trial to look at the blood pressure control and its effect on kidney and heart size in PKD patients.
For more information visit the PKD Foundation's web site
www. PKDCURE.org
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