Mickey and Goofy will not be the only characters charming the crowds in Orlando this Spring. A brand new cast of cartoon characters will debut at the National Kidney Foundation's (NKF) Spring Clinical Meetings, held from April 10-14 in Orlando, as part of a major new patient education program from the NKF.
NKF members and other meeting attendees will receive a special preview of the program that the foundation will soon roll out to the entire dialysis community. The program is distinguished as the first "reality series" of, by, and for the community.
The centerpiece of the program is a comic-strip style "graphic novella" that visually tells the story of a group of patients and their healthcare team in a dialysis center similar to hundreds of centers across the U.S. The program follows these characters through the ups and downs of crises, conflicts, discoveries, and triumphs: the shock of being diagnosed with kidney disease, coping with the diagnosis and feelings about going on dialysis, role-reversals in family relationships, job-related stress, sticking with the kidney-healthy diet, managing multiple related conditions, dealing with personal issues and much more. The NKF will update the program six times per year-every other month-to spotlight new issues, and to continue to offer new tools to empower patients.
The program combines educational and empowering information in a range of media: posters for display on the walls of dialysis centers and physicians' offices; websites; print and online learning aids, teaching aids; and more. An Editorial Board comprised of patients, physicians, nurses, dietitians, social workers, technicians, and family members suggests key issues to address in the reality series.