Morris Heights Health Center First In The Nation
To Unveil Innovative National Program To Fight Kidney Diseas

Sean Elliot, former NBA all-star and Kidney Transplant Survivor (seated in center), Physicians from the Morris Heights Health Center in Bronx, New York, and patients recently launched CHECK- UP, a new national program to help primary health care professionals on the front lines fight kidney disease. Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is an alarming problem: 20 million Americans (1 in 9 adults) have CKD and most do not know it. Another 20 million are at increased risk of developing the problem. Kidney disease affects medically underserved populations at a disproportionate rate including African Americans, Asian Americans, Hispanic Americans and people over age 60. "I had no idea I was even at risk for kidney disease when I was diagnosed," said Sean Elliott, who was diagnosed with focal segmental sclerosis, a progressive kidney disorder in 1993. "The disease advanced rapidly to the point where I needed a transplant to save my life." CHECK- UP, is to be introduced at community health centers throughout the United States, in under-diagnosed populations, in collaboration with Bayer Diagnostics which has developed a 60-second test (mulitistix PRO) to detect signs of CKD right in the doctors office. (Seated from left to right) Wanda McCoy, M.D. Morris Heights Health Center, Sean Elliott, former NBA All-Star and Kidney Transplant survivor, Jeannnine Bookhardt-Murray, M.D. Morris Heights Health Center (Standing left to right) Andrew Chisholm, Senior Manager at Bayer Diagnostics and Verona Greenland, President and CEO, at the Morris Heights Health Center.