June 16, 2009

Sonya Roth, RN, administrator of the Washington DaVita dialysis facility, spoke to the Washington Kiwanis Club about kidney disease and the role of dialysis in the treatment of that disease. She is pictured holding an artificial kidney used in the dialysis process. The local facility employs 15 full time staff members and is headed up by Dr. B.N. Kuppuswamy. Roth mentioned that the facility serves patients ranging from 33-87 years of age in Lincoln, Taliaferro, Greene, and Wilkes Counties. Roth said that diabetes is the number one cause of kidney failure accounting for 40 percent of cases, followed by high blood pressure at 25 percent. She discussed symptoms of kidney failure and cautioned that people should see their doctor annually. Roth mentioned that most patients who receive dialysis treatment visit the clinic three times a week for a three-hour treatment session each time. The dialysis treatment does in three hours what your kidneys accomplish in 48 hours, she said. Al Zima (left) was program host for the day.