The American Association of Kidney Patients (AAKP), the nation’s largest fully independent kidney patient organization, today announced that given the serious threat posed by the Coronavirus to the kidney patient community, they are encouraging all patients and their families to avoid unnecessary travel, including all planned travel to Washington, D.C. during National Kidney Month in March and for the immediate future. Historically, hundreds of kidney patients and their families travel to the nation’s capital to discuss policies related to patient care choice and medical innovation with White House and Congressional officials.

March is the month when Americans and the U.S. Congress are asked to focus on kidney disease, a condition that impacts 40 million people, with an additional 700,000 suffering from kidney failure. The American Association of Kidney Patients (AAKP) is raising its voice against a silent killer throughout March. Founded in 1969, AAKP is the oldest and largest, fully independent patient-led, kidney patient organization in the U.S. This March marks the first National Kidney Month in AAKP’s Decade of the Kidney™ Initiative.