Name: Torie Kranze
Phone: 504.861.4500
torie@kidneyla.org
NationalKidneyFoundationofLouisiana@Facebook.com
Twitter: @NKFL
www.kidneyla.org
National Kidney Foundation of Louisiana Celebrates Kidney Heroes
New Orleans, LA – The National Kidney Foundation of Louisiana honored community leaders
for their service to the Foundation at its 25th Annual Le Gala de la Bonne Vie at the New Orleans
Marriot on Sunday, June 14, 2015.
They honored 22 individuals whose cooperation and assistance has helped the Foundation
continue its programs and goals. These celebrated honorees, “Kidney Heroes”, contributed their
time, talent, and efforts, to bring ordinary notions to exceptional heights by ensuring that
awareness of this life altering disease is being brought to the forefront, ensuring that prevention
methods are being promoted, and assisting in raising funds for life saving treatment for those
affected. Additionally, they have carried the torch of hope and aided in the fight against kidney
disease.
Those honored were: Rosa Albert, CHT, CCHT; Angelina Ariail; Rev. Terrence August; Jack
Badinger; Chef Rene’ Bajeux; Carolyn and Tunney Barrett; Vecihi Batuman, MD, FASN; Sue
Cary, MN, RN, ANP, CNN; Lisa Emboulas Farrell; Rene’ J.L. Fransen; Julie Cauvin Hahn;
Freidrichs H. Harris, Jr., MD, FACP; Cheryl McGee-Hills; Schaffer Mickal; Efrain Reisin, MD,
FACP, FASN, FASH; Kristen Ruel; Kurt Schellhaas; Clinton “Clint” Smith, Jr.; Margaret
White, BSN, RN, CCTC and Jacquelyn “Jackie” Williams, LPN, PCC.
Currently, Louisiana ranks #1 per capita in incidences of chronic kidney disease because of the
high prevalence of high blood pressure and diabetes in our population. Here in Louisiana there
are over 460,000 with chronic kidney disease, and over 9,100 on dialysis. Kidney disease kills
over 90,000 Americans every year, more than breast or prostate cancer combined. There are
nearly 135,000 people on the national waiting transplant list, and over 2,000 are right here in
Louisiana, 1753 are waiting for a kidney transplant.
“Of the 26 million American adults estimated to have kidney disease, most don’t know they have
it. That’s why taking care of your kidneys, especially if you are at risk for kidney disease, is
vital,” said Torie Kranze, Chief Executive Officer of the National Kidney Foundation of
Louisiana.
The National Kidney Foundation of Louisiana is the major statewide voluntary non-profit
health organization dedicated to preventing kidney and urinary tract diseases, improving the
health and well-being of individuals affected by these diseases and increasing the availability of
all organs for transplantation. For more information, visit www.kidneyla.org.
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