“Take a Deep Breath and Begin Again.” Fresenius Kidney Care Patients Recognized by Major Industry Non-profit for Their Words of Wisdom

Eight FMCNA Patients Win Awards in Renal Support Network’s 20th Annual Essay Contest

WALTHAM, Mass. – October 11, 2022 – My body is drained. I close my eyes. I say a soft prayer. I’m thankful for another day.  

Those words, from Fresenius Kidney Care (FKC) patient John Unger, go straight to the heart of his dialysis experience. Like so many dialysis patients, the treatments are often lengthy and exhausting. But they are also life-sustaining.

“Somewhere over the Rainbow … Where troubles melt like lemon drops …” This song is in my soul too. I have not memorized all the words, but I work on remembering them to move me away from the immediacy of the four-hour plane ride to life.  

Unger’s story, “Somewhere Over the Rainbow,” is the President’s Pick in the Renal Support Network’s (RSN) 20th Annual essay contest. This year’s theme “Surviving Tough Times, Sharing a Strategy That Helps Cope With Kidney Disease,” features stories from patients with kidney disease about their experiences and how they manage to keep their upbeat perspectives.

“These stories are deeply moving and a reminder to all of us as to why patients remain our North Star,” said Bill Valle, CEO of Fresenius Medical Care North America and acting president of Fresenius Kidney Care. “Many of the essays mention our clinic staff, and the vital role they play in these patients’ lives every day. It’s important we understand the patient experience and I am extremely proud that our care teams are so valued by our patients.”

FKC’s dedicated staff helps more than 200,000 people with kidney disease every year, whether in the patient’s own home and at more than 2,600 facilities nationwide. Care teams work to address the physical and emotional aspects of kidney disease through personalized care, education, and lifestyle support services.

FKC and Fresenius Medical Care North America (FMCNA) are long-time partners of RSN and sponsors of the annual essay contest. Unger is one of eight FKC patients whose essays won awards

“These stories are the fuel that drives hope for people who have kidney disease,” said Lori Hartwell, President and Founder of RSN. “Seeing my peers overcome such incredible adversity makes me determined to persevere. Even if you don’t have kidney disease, you can benefit from their words of wisdom.”

The eight award recipients are:

• John Unger, Albuquerque, N.M.: Somewhere Over the Rainbow
• Carrie George, Boise, Idaho: Laughter Through Tears
• Ginger White, Eugene, Ore.: Call Me Gumby
• Mike Gothard, Beaufort, N.C.: Surviving CKD and the Hundred Acre Wood
• Recaldo Weatherspoon, Memphis, Tenn.: Let the Truth be Told
• Bill Naifeh, Kingfisher, Okla.: When the Going Gets Tough, the Tough Get Going
• Vivian Sims, Bedford, Ohio: The Practice of Mindfulness
• Audrey Cantwell, Winchester, Va.: Keep Persevering

About Fresenius Kidney Care 
Fresenius Kidney Care, a division of Fresenius Medical Care North America (FMCNA), provides kidney disease education, dialysis treatment, and support services to more than 200,000 people with kidney disease every year whether in their own homes or at more than 2,600 facilities nationwide. Fresenius Kidney Care’s dedicated teams help address the physical and emotional aspects of kidney disease through personalized care, education, and lifestyle support services. For more information about Fresenius Kidney Care, visit www.FreseniusKidneyCare.com. 

About Fresenius Medical Care North America 
Fresenius Medical Care North America (FMCNA) is the premier healthcare company focused on providing the highest quality care to people with renal and other chronic conditions. Through its industry-leading network of dialysis facilities and outpatient cardiac and vascular labs, Fresenius Medical Care North America provides coordinated healthcare services at pivotal care points for hundreds of thousands of chronically ill customers throughout the continent. As the world’s largest fully integrated renal company, it offers specialty pharmacy and laboratory services, and manufactures and distributes the most comprehensive line of dialysis equipment, disposable products, and renal pharmaceuticals. For more information, visit the FMCNA website.