Casper, Wyo. - National Kidney Awareness Month is observed annually in March, it's a time to raise awareness about kidney health, kidney disease, and encourage early detection and treatment.

Chronic kidney disease is a serious condition that is often over looked until symptoms appear. C.K.D. is progressive, and can put you at risk for serious health complications, in the United States alone, more than 1 in 7 adults have chronic kidney disease. Banner Wyoming Medical Centers, Dr. Kumari Usha, states, "Approximately 35.5 million people are effected by this."

Kidneys are bean shaped organs that sit below our rib cage on either side of the spine, but not many are aware at just how crucial a role they play in maintaining our body's health. Usha explains, "everything has to pass through kidney, and kidney's full of blood vessels, so definitely whatever you take, eat, or drink, will pass through kidney." According to American Kidney Fund, in 2023 there were 767 Wyomingites living with kidney failure, and 455 on dialysis, and it's all due to things we're all familiar with. "Common cause is diabetes, second is the hyper tension, chronic smoking, and obesity itself can cause kidney disease." Usha says your families medical history can also have an effect on whether your kidney's are able to function properly.

And while national kidney month raises awareness about kidney health and disease, it's also a way to promote kidney donation. Usha says, "That's a gift of life, and everyone has two kidneys, and we can very well spare that, give it, donate it, and help other people to live, so yes that is how the kidney month the whole idea came up."

Although it may seem difficult, small changes in your lifestyle can go a long way to keeping your kidneys, and yourself healthier for years to come. According to America’s Health Rankings, Wyoming ranks 4th in the US for the percentage of adults who reported ever being told by a health professional that they had kidney disease.