Bethesda Kidney & Transplant Foundation

Advocacy, education, and support for individuals with chronic kidney disease to avoid dialysis.

Support

Avoid Dialysis

Empowering people with chronic kidney disease to stay healthier, longer, through education, advocacy, and compassionate guidance.

A bright kitchen countertop scene showing a meticulously arranged kidney-friendly meal: a white ceramic plate with grilled salmon, steamed broccoli, and colorful bell peppers, next to a small bowl of berries and a glass of clear water with cucumber slices. The counter is smooth light quartz, with a tidy cutting board holding a sliced red bell pepper and a stainless-steel chef’s knife. In the background, slightly out of focus, are neatly stacked low-sodium spice containers and a printed kidney health meal plan. Soft morning sunlight streams through an unseen window, creating gentle reflections and a calm, hopeful mood. Photographic realism, eye-level perspective, rule-of-thirds composition emphasizing balanced nutrition as a positive alternative to dialysis.
A clean, modern kidney health workspace featuring a polished light-wood desk with a large, high-resolution screen displaying a colorful, easy-to-understand kidney function graph and GFR trend improving over time. Beside the monitor, neatly arranged are a stethoscope, blood pressure cuff, and a transparent pill organizer labeled for the week, all in calm blues and soft grays. A carafe of clear water and a small dish of fresh lemon slices sit on a white ceramic tray. Soft daylight from an unseen window casts gentle, natural highlights and minimal shadows, creating a reassuring and professional atmosphere. Photographic realism, eye-level composition with shallow depth of field keeps the focus on the screen and tools, suggesting organized, proactive care to avoid dialysis.

Programs

We provide evidence-based education, one-on-one care navigation, and transplant-readiness planning so people with chronic kidney disease can understand their choices, partner confidently with their clinicians, and take daily steps that may delay or avoid the need for dialysis.

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Share a few details and our kidney health team will contact you to discuss options to delay dialysis.

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Stories

A quiet home monitoring station on a matte white table featuring a digital blood pressure monitor, a small blood glucose meter, and a kidney function tracking journal open to a neatly handwritten log of lab results and daily habits. A silver pen rests across the journal spine, and a slim tablet displays an organized dashboard of kidney health metrics in cool blues and greens. A fresh houseplant in a minimalist pot adds a touch of life in the background. Diffused, overcast daylight from the side produces soft shadows and a clinical yet comforting atmosphere. Photographic realism, slightly elevated angle with sharp focus throughout, highlighting structured self-management as a way to help avoid dialysis.

Hope D.

BKTF helped me understand my labs, change my diet, and delay dialysis—now I feel informed, supported, and in control.

A hospital consultation room table without people, showing only carefully placed objects: a printed, full-color anatomical diagram of healthy and diseased kidneys, a stack of educational brochures titled “Protecting Your Kidneys” and “Steps to Avoid Dialysis,” and a slim laptop partially open with a paused kidney webinar on screen. A stainless-steel kidney-shaped tray holds neatly arranged pens and highlighters. The table surface is smooth light maple, and the background reveals blurred medical cabinets and a wall-mounted blood pressure unit. Overhead fluorescent lighting is softened by diffusers, creating even illumination with minimal glare. Photographic realism, eye-level composition, calm and professional mood emphasizing education, advocacy, and informed decision-making for chronic kidney disease.

Hope D.

Their nurse navigator walked beside me through every appointment, explaining options and questions to ask so I could protect my remaining kidney function.

A bright kitchen countertop scene showing a meticulously arranged kidney-friendly meal: a white ceramic plate with grilled salmon, steamed broccoli, and colorful bell peppers, next to a small bowl of berries and a glass of clear water with cucumber slices. The counter is smooth light quartz, with a tidy cutting board holding a sliced red bell pepper and a stainless-steel chef’s knife. In the background, slightly out of focus, are neatly stacked low-sodium spice containers and a printed kidney health meal plan. Soft morning sunlight streams through an unseen window, creating gentle reflections and a calm, hopeful mood. Photographic realism, eye-level perspective, rule-of-thirds composition emphasizing balanced nutrition as a positive alternative to dialysis.

Hope D.

Before finding this foundation, I felt alone and scared. Now I have a clear plan to slow my disease and stay active.

A clean, modern kidney health workspace featuring a polished light-wood desk with a large, high-resolution screen displaying a colorful, easy-to-understand kidney function graph and GFR trend improving over time. Beside the monitor, neatly arranged are a stethoscope, blood pressure cuff, and a transparent pill organizer labeled for the week, all in calm blues and soft grays. A carafe of clear water and a small dish of fresh lemon slices sit on a white ceramic tray. Soft daylight from an unseen window casts gentle, natural highlights and minimal shadows, creating a reassuring and professional atmosphere. Photographic realism, eye-level composition with shallow depth of field keeps the focus on the screen and tools, suggesting organized, proactive care to avoid dialysis.

Hope D.

The transplant-readiness program prepared my entire family—emotionally, financially, and medically—so we could pursue a transplant instead of long-term dialysis.