ROCKVILLE, Md., Sept. 16, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The American Kidney Fund will host a reception and awards ceremony tonight at the Conrad Hotel to honor retiring members of Congress and basketball Hall-of-Famer and kidney health advocate Alonzo Mourning for their work in championing policies on behalf of the kidney community. Held during the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation’s Annual Legislative Conference in Washington, D.C., the reception also serves as an opportunity to raise awareness of chronic kidney disease (CKD), APOL1-mediated kidney disease (AMKD) and kidney health disparities affecting Black communities.
AKF will present its inaugural Kidney Health Awards to three retiring Congressional Black Caucus members who have championed kidney health initiatives during their time in Congress:
- Rep. Danny K. Davis (D-IL): Over his long Congressional career, Rep. Davis has focused on addressing health disparities, including helping to advance bipartisan legislation to help improve kidney health outcomes
- Rep. Robin Kelly (D-IL): The outgoing chair of the Congressional Black Caucus Health Braintrust, Rep. Kelly has been a key leader in reforming the organ transplant system in the U.S. She has also focused on addressing health disparities, including her leadership on the Health Equity and Accountability Act
- Rep. Stacey Plaskett (D-U.S. Virgin Islands): Del. Plaskett worked to advance policies to reduce health disparities and introduced a congressional resolution supporting the designation of the last Tuesday of April as AMKD Awareness Day.
AKF will also recognize and honor Mourning with its Kidney Health Award for his dedication to advancing awareness and education of AMKD. Mourning was diagnosed with kidney disease after earning a gold medal in the 2000 Summer Olympics and later learned his kidney disease was AMKD, a genetic form of kidney disease that can advance rapidly. He has long been an active kidney health advocate, sharing his story across the country to help raise awareness and empower others to take charge of their kidney health.
“Kidney disease is a public health crisis that takes an especially hard toll on communities of color,” said LaVarne A. Burton, AKF President and CEO. “At AKF, we believe in kidney health for all, and we are grateful to Alonzo and these dedicated members of Congress for sharing our commitment to improving kidney education, promoting health equity and removing barriers to kidney health care.”
While CKD affects people of all racial and ethnic backgrounds, Black Americans are at a higher risk of developing kidney failure than white Americans. Black Americans constitute nearly 14% of the U.S. population, but account for nearly 30% of kidney failure cases.
AKF is dedicated to improving health outcomes in kidney disease and focuses on reaching people from racial and ethnic minority groups who are more likely to be impacted by end-stage kidney disease, also known as kidney failure. AKF’s Kidney Health for All® serves as a hub for education and outreach as part of its work to remove obstacles to kidney health care and empower at-risk communities.
AKF’s work to educate and raise awareness about APOL1-mediated kidney disease is supported by Vertex Pharmaceuticals. Alonzo Mourning is a paid spokesperson for Vertex Pharmaceuticals.
About the American Kidney Fund
The American Kidney Fund (AKF) fights kidney disease on all fronts as the nonprofit with the greatest direct impact on people with kidney disease. AKF works on behalf of the 1 in 7 American adults living with kidney disease, and the millions more at risk, with an unmatched scope of programs that support people wherever they are in their fight against kidney disease—from prevention through post-transplant living. AKF fights for kidney health for all through programs that address early detection, disease management, financial assistance, clinical research, innovation and advocacy. AKF is one of the nation’s top-rated nonprofits, investing 96 cents of every donated dollar in programs, and it has received 24 consecutive 4-star ratings from Charity Navigator as well as the Platinum Seal of Transparency from Candid, formerly known as GuideStar.
For more information, please visit KidneyFund.org, or connect with AKF on Facebook, Bluesky, X, Instagram and LinkedIn.
Nancy Gregory American Kidney Fund (240) 292-7077 ngregory@kidneyfund.org
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