Narmada Kidney Foundation (NKF)
Registration No:

About us: Narmada Kidney Foundation (NKF) is a registered charitable trust, founded in 1994 in the memory of Smt. Narmadaben V. Shah whose mission was to alleviate suffering of sick people. Amongst various diseases, irreversible kidney disease causes a lot more suffering because of limited treatment options and the cost involved in its treatment. It was therefore decided to set up a foundation for the benefit of kidney patients. The main aim of the foundation is to educate the people about normal functioning of the kidneys, ways in which kidneys get damaged and the consequences of losing the kidney function. The organization hopes that this approach will serve the following purposes:

It will help to prevent a number of preventable kidney diseases

It will help people understand symptoms of kidney diseases and thereby enable early detection

It will guide people who have unfortunately lost their normal kidney function to decide the most appropriate treatment.

For carrying out its goals, the foundation holds regular meetings in which different topics pertaining to kidney diseases are discussed. Some of the topics covered include:

Normal functioning of kidneys

Ways in which kidneys get damaged

Diabetes and kidney disease

Blood pressure and kidney disease

How to prevent kidney diseases

Treatment of acute kidney disease

Treatment of chronic kidney diseases in the early stages

Treatment of end stage kidney diseases with dialysis and transplantation

Coping with end stage kidney disease

Understanding kidney function tests

Besides the educational aspects, these meetings offer an opportunity for patients to interact with other patients - an extremely important factor for a patient suffering from a chronic disease. Such interactions have been instrumental in helping patients to cope up with kidney failure.

The members of the foundation are provided with relevant educational material. The foundation publishes quarterly newsletter and has also published a book - "Kidney Failure: A Guide For Patients and Families". Another book - "Diet in Chronic Renal Failure" is soon to be published.

The foundation has made an arrangement with key pharmaceutical companies and few retail chemists so that members get discount on medicines on presentation of membership card.

The foundation has joined hands with other organizations like National Liver Foundation, National Kidney Foundation and National Association of Blind to form National Organ Donor Campaign which aims to educate people about brain death and encourage organ donation after death. The relevant literature and organ donor cards are available at any of the above mentioned organizations.

One of the most important activities of the Foundation is to help donors intending to donate kidney to their near ones suffering from kidney failure, make the right decision by explaining the full process of kidney donation and kidney transplantation. Donating a part of the body to a near and dear relative is a very courageous act. It is because of these courageous people that so many people with irreversible kidney failure are alive today. Truly, for those who have received the kidney it is a "gift of life".

As a mark of respect to such courageous donors, the Foundation has been celebrating November 30 as "Donor's Day". The Donor's Day celebration includes awarding a certificate and a trophy to each member donor. In addition, the Foundation honors family members who consented to donating kidneys after the death of their near and dear one. The Celebration of "Donor's Day" was started in 1997. This is the only Foundation in the country and the world to be marking a day to respect to the donors.

The foundation hopes to provide financial support to all the deserving patients with end stage kidney disease requiring dialysis and transplantation. Both dialysis and transplantation are very expensive, former a lot more expensive treatment in the long run. With limited funds this is obviously not possible for all patients at present. But, as the organization grows and the funds increase, the organization will make every effort to help all the deserving cases.

Because kidney transplantation is performed only at highly specialized centers, many end stage kidney disease patients from villages, towns and small cities have to approach major centers in big cities like Mumbai. The treatment involving stabilization of the patient on dialysis, identifying the appropriate donor for transplant, going through transplant operation and maintaining frequent regular check-up in the immediate period after transplantation means prolonged stay. This becomes difficult in big cities like Mumbai. The foundation plans to work towards making arrangements for prolonged stay for the patients coming from out of Mumbai.

The foundation will approach the Govt. and propose a) granting 100% income-tax deduction on the expense involved in treatment of kidney failure patient with dialysis and transplantation. b) Total exemption on sales tax on equipment and drugs used in treatment of patients with kidney failure. These equipment and drugs include: Dialyses and tubing used for hemodialysis, CAPD catheter and CAPD fluid & tubing, erythropoietin, active vitamin D, cyclosporine, cellcept and azathioprine. c) a greater financial support to transplant patients from the Chief minister's and Prime Minister's relief fund.
 
Mission: The main aim of the foundation is to educate the people about normal functioning of the kidneys, ways in which kidneys get damaged and the consequences of losing the kidney function.
Contact Details
NARMADA KIDNEY FOUNDATION
B - 4, SHIPLPA APTS., DR. CHARATSINGH COLONY,
A. G. LINK ROAD, CHAKALA, ANDHERI (EAST),
MUMBAI - 400 093
webmaster@narmadakidney.org
www.narmadakidney.org 
Phone: 022 - 2825 4147
Fax:
email: narmadakidney@yahoo.co.in
Karmayogi: Rasjni Dhuwad