MOVING FORWARD - Why I Advocate

I’m moving forward 2020 and beyond. I’m looking at life in an optimistic way.  I stop making resolutions a long time ago and make goals. I’m learning to live and keep moving day to day knowing things and circumstances can and not feeling defeated because of changes. A resolution is a firm decision which when not accomplished is looked on as a failure. A goal is something you aim to achieve and you have the ability to alter how to achieve your goal so that you don't fail. With a few weeks of 2020 are under my feet, things have started well even with those changes in my "planned" day. I continue to "move forward' in my 2020 goals which have made already made for ‘alterations’ due to recent new opportunities presented to me.

The past decade took me to lows and highs that no one could ever tell me I would personally endure. 95% due to my diagnoses and living with kidney disease. My faith was challenge and I saw how God moved in my life. I have been given second chances which has fueled part of ‘My Purpose” in life.

One of my goals is to elevate my advocacy work higher. Helping others who have a hard time to speak for themselves. Bringing awareness and education to kidney disease and organ donation helps fulfill my life purpose which is to give forward for what was given to me.  I was given a second chance because without asking two young ladies, my daughter and her friend & college sorority sister helped me and as a result I received a kidney.

Thank you to the National Kidney Foundation of Indiana who in their just released February 2020 newsletter featured me in an article about “Why I advocate”. The article is below and I ask that you please click the link to the entire Newsletter is below. Hope you enjoy it.  

Please share a brief  comment about your  "Moving Forward" in 2020. 
Peace, Love, Joy and Happiness to you. CW 
#MyKidneyWatch
#MyKidneysMylife

https://mailchi.mp/kidneyindiana/january2020-2526101?e=40b375ad5

Issue No. 17 /February 2020 The Importance of Advocacy Work Curtis Warfield's story - in his own words How did you get involved in kidney advocacy? When I received a diagnosis of this disease, I felt alone. I really didn’t know anything about CKD, except negative thinking such as you go on dialysis, then you die—unless the dice roll in your favor, you “luck-up”, and get a transplant. My first meeting with [other] people with CKD was very negative. Everyone in that room was angry. So, I wanted to help people by mentoring and through education. I’m also interested in legislative activities that can improve the quality of life for kidney patients through new laws that will enable more research, ease financial burdens and [provide] better care. Secondly, I am so thankful [to] not just one, but two people, young adults [who] were willing to step up and give me a second chance at life. If my donor can give me a kidney that I can’t repay her for, I can give forward to help others. Why do you think kidney advocacy is important? The importance of advocacy work helps bring more awareness to kidney disease to 1) prevent the disease in those who have a chance not to develop it; 2) educate—bring a battle mentality to those who don’t see any hope; 3) increase awareness of organ donation, especially living donation, to the general public; 4) celebrate those living donor heroes as much as those who have given posthumously and 5) help break down myths about CKD, especially in the African-American community and other communities of color. I would like to bring kidney health and awareness more to the forefront and not have CKD treated as a secondary disease. [Instead of just saying] if you have high blood pressures or diabetes then you can get kidney disease, our kidneys should be viewed/valued as important as any other organ. What current kidney advocacy are you working on now? Presently I am advocating for legislation for: Living Donor Protection Act - Senate Bill S.511/House Bill H.R12224 which protects discrimination against a living donor. Recently Indiana State Legislation introduced a similar state bill – Senate Bill 284.  Immunosuppressive Drug Coverage Act – U.S. H.R. 5534 which will lift the three-year limit on Medicare coverage of anti-rejection drugs for people who have kidney transplants. CKD Improvement in Research and Treatment Act (S.1676/H.R. 3912) which will increase awareness of kidney disease, expand preventative services and increase nephrologists care in underserved areas. A different advocacy approach, for me, will be launching a blog page soon called “My Kidney Watch”. It features personal stories from me on living with CKD and special guests on subject matters to encourage, motivate and be relative to patients, caregivers, donors and families covering multiple areas that kidney patients and other chronic diseases patients have to address in their “normal lifestyle”. Curtis Warfield is a Senior Quality Analyst who received a living kidney donation from his daughter’s sorority sister in 2016. Curtis is very passionate in advocating and educating about CKD, dialysis, organ donation and living donors. He is a volunteer for the local Indiana affiliate of the National Kidney Foundation as well as an advocate for the National Kidney Foundation in New York and DC. Curtis has been married for 34 years and has 4 adult children and one grandson. Pictured from left: James Myers (NKFI Volunteer), Rep. Pete Visclosky (D-Dist 1), Curtis Warfield (Kidney Advocate and NKFI Volunteer) Copyright © 2020 National Kidney Foundation of Indiana, All rights reserved. Our mailing address is: 911 East 86th Street, Suite 100 Indianapolis, IN 46240 Contact Us: Indianapolis 317-722-5640 Fort Wayne 260-456-0654 nkfi@kidneyindiana.org Want to change how you receive these emails? You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list.