MILAN - This year the important campaign ‘Waterselfie’ which was launched on the occasion of the World Kidney Day, invites everyone to take selfies drinking a nice glass of water. Each shot can be downloaded online at the websites of the Italian Society of Nephrology, Aned Onlus, and Hydration Lab, and afterwards Sanpellegrino will donate 50 cents to Aned Onlus - the National Association for Hemodialysis, dialysis, and transplantation- to finance the construction of a useful educational guide to provide information to hospitals and schools.
The number of chronic kidney disease cases
The World Health Organization considers considers this to be a global health issue and its numbers are on the rise in Italy, where its 4-5 million patients (7.5% of men and 6.5% of women) puts it in first place among chronic diseases in terms of epidemiological magnitude, severity, and disability, in addition to the welfare and economic impacts. Among chronic conditions, kidney failure is also one of the leading causes of death: since 1990, the number of people falling ill and dying from this disease has doubled.
However, this is also a growing issue among children: the study ‘ItalKid’ calculates the incidence to be 12.1 cases per million each year in those between the ages of 8.8 and 13.9, representing a prevalence of 74.7 cases per million in this age group. Not surprisingly, the 2016 World Kidney Day is dedicated to children, with the slogan "Childhood kidney disease: act early to prevent it".
Focus on childhood
Antonio Santoro, president of the INS, warns: “The numbers are clear: it is evident that chronic kidney disease is spreading at an alarming rate. On the occasion of World Kidney Day – he explains– focusing on childhood means carrying out a much more incisive prevention campaign, since this is a disease which, if caught early, can be prevented from developing future complications".
"Celebrating the Day and supporting this Awareness Campaign is essential for attaining the objective we set for ourselves each day, which is for as few people as possible to require dialysisand – says Valentina Paris, President of Aned – The theme chosen this year is focused on children, for whom the role of us adults in teaching them good habits is essential. Therefore, being able to create and distribute our educational guide in schools, thanks to this partnership and the Waterselfie Campaign, would be a major achievement”.
Sanpellegrino's commitment
“For years the Sanpellegrino Group has been raising awareness about the importance of proper hydration for one's physical wellbeing – says Stefano Agostini, President and CEO – We are excited to continue our partnership with Aned and the ISN, being aware that patient associations and scientific societies are two key players capable of making vital contributions in the fight against these diseases. We are proud to contribute to the prevention awareness campaign, reiterating that proper hydration is one of the first rules for the health of our kidneys and the body in general".
by Alessandro Conte
