The Kidney & Hypertension Group

One of our favorite patients, Walter, celebrating the 11th anniversary of his kidney transplant with his nephrologist, Dr. Jorge Ajuria! 🤗 If you are interested in learning more about kidney transplant, Kidney/Pancreas Transplant, Peritoneal Dialysis, or hemodialysis at home, call the team who can help you achieve all of your goals!!! 954-771-3929. Offices in Plantation, Fort Lauderdale, and Delray Beach. Walter sees Dr. Ajuria in our Holy Cross office.💚💚💚💚💚💚💚💚💚💚💚 💚

Happy Labor Day from your team at ! ♥️🤍💙

Kidney stones are especially prevalent in Florida. Let us help you prevent them in the first place. #

Kidney transplant recipient, Selena Gomez, and the All-Star cast of “Only Murders in the Building” premieres Season 4 tonight -Tuesday, August 27 at 12 a.m. ET / 9 p.m. PT (on August 26) on Hulu and Disney+. New episodes will be released every Tuesday. The popular comedy series has drawn increased interest lately due to the rumored real life romance of castmates Meryl Streep and Martin Short, seen holding hands at the Season 4 After Party. ♥️ Actually, at , we tune in for Selena! 💚 But we absolutely love

The NKFF Team (Laurence Paolino, Jymesia Pickett, and Barbara Chatman) participated in the “Dare to Care” Community Health Fair at the Faith Center in Sunrise on Saturday.
Thank you for spreading information on keeping kidneys healthy! 🧡🩵 kidneyfl

Happy 2nd wedding anniversary to “Modern Family” actress and kidney transplant recipient, Sarah Hyland, and her husband Wells Adam. ♥️

After five years of study, researchers at the University of Texas found that both a diet higher in plants, with the addition of baking soda supplementation which reduced acidity, promoted kidney health. Only the fruits and vegetables improved heart health as well.
“Our conclusion was that diets high in fruits and vegetables should be a foundational part of our management of patients who have high blood pressure or hypertension,” said lead study investigator Dr. Donald Wesson, professor in the department of Internal Medicine at Dell Medical School at the University of Texas at Austin.
“The study tested whether or not reducing the amount of acid in our diet reduces the kidney disease- and heart disease-related complications of high blood pressure,” he said.”
The study is just the latest in a growing body of literature regarding the health benefits of diets heavy in plants, said Dr. Marion Nestle, the Paulette Goddard Professor Emerita of Nutrition, Food Studies and Public Health at New York University. She was not involved in the research.
“We’ve known this for a long time but it’s good to have less kidney disease added to the benefits,” she said. The results were published last week in the American Journal of Medicine.

Would you donate a kidney to a stranger in exchange for money?
That’s the premise of a bill lawmakers introduced to Congress Monday called the End Kidney Deaths Act. Proponents of the bill say it will save lives and improve the nationwide shortage on organ donations.
If the law passes, people who donate a kidney to a stranger — not a family member — would get a refundable tax credit of $10,000 each year for five years, totaling $50,000.
Donated kidneys would go to those who have been waiting the longest on the kidney transplant waitlist. There are currently more than 90,000 people on that list, according to the United Network for Organ Sharing.

First living organ donor! 💚

On , we honor the pioneers of life-saving transplants. In 1954, Ronald Lee Herrick made history as the first living organ donor, giving a kidney to his twin brother. This groundbreaking work earned Dr. Joseph Murray and Dr. John Merrill the Nobel Prize in 1990.

The Declaration of Istanbul continues their legacy, promoting ethical organ donation worldwide. Learn more: https://ow.ly/sbOu50SWMlQ

Happy Wednesday! 🤗🤗🤗 Simon, a patient of Dr. Jorge Ajuria had a successful kidney transplant at the University of Miami/Miami Transplant Institute. Prior to transplant, Simon was on Peritoneal (Home) Dialysis which allowed him to feel great every day. All these are very important ingredients to help in achieving the goal of a transplant.⭐️ Thank you to our fantastic Home Dialysis team who got him ready/kept him ready to be successful!! ⭐️ If you are interested in learning more about kidney transplant, Kidney/Pancreas Transplant, Peritoneal Dialysis, or hemodialysis at home, call the team who can help you achieve all of your goals!!! 954-771-3929. Offices in Plantation, Fort Lauderdale, and Delray Beach. Simon sees Dr. Ajuria in our Plantation office. 💚💚💚💚💚👏🏼

Our team member, Eric, and his dog, Pyro, were on security duty at the with and nkotb concert here in South Florida! 🤗 Well done guys!! 🐕

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Another kidney transplant here at the Kidney Group! Koda, a patient of Dr. Gabriel Valle, had been on Peritoneal Dialysis for less than a year before receiving a kidney at the University Of Miami/Miami Transplant Institute.💚💚💚💚💚 Thank you to our phenomenal home dialysis team that got him ready for Transplant and kept him ready for this success story! Koda is also the father of 3 young boys! We are so happy for your entire family! 🤗🤗🤗🤗🤗 If you are interested in pursuing a kidney transplant, even if you are currently on dialysis, contact us at 954-771-3929. Let us help you create your own success story! Offices in Plantation, Fort Lauderdale, and Delray Beach. #

A recent study published in the Lancet discovered a possible link between light exposure at night and the development of Type 2 Diabetes. (Night in this study is defined as 12:30am to 6am) For the healthiest sleep, including the optimal production of melatonin, it is recommended you sleep in darkness, no light.

A lovely gift from an appreciative pre-transplant patient for a nurse that goes the extra mile. ♥️

South Korean actor Nam Yoon-su is gaining attention for his gift to his father. On June 19, the Soulmate star underwent a successful surgery to donate one of his kidneys to his father. Both Nam Yoon-su and his father are now recovering and have been discharged from the hospital since the operation. Earlier this year, the actor had paused all his professional activities to ensure his health was in the right condition for the surgery. Initially keeping the donation private, Nam Yoon-su decided to share his story after discussions with the hospital, aiming to raise awareness about organ donation and inspire others to consider doing the same. #신장

The NKF Rich Salick Pro-Am Surf Festival is the largest non-profit surfing event in the WORLD! 🌎 come watch pro surfers or compete yourself! 🏄‍♀️ Join us October 12 to 14 at the famous Cocoa Beach Pier! 🌞For more information https://www.facebook.com/NKFsurf2?mibextid=LQQJ4d

This is Sara, a patient of Dr. Jorge Ajuria. Sara successfully juggles being a mom, holding a job with Walgreens as a Pharmacy Technician, doing home dialysis and waiting for a kidney transplant. (She’s amazing! 🤗) She’s aided by a great attitude, tremendous family support, and a wonderful nephrologist! 😉 Our home dialysis nurses love her, and it is easy to see why! ♥️ Watch her video on our page. https://www.facebook.com/KidneyDocs?mibextid=LQQJ4d

Happy News! 🤗 Olympic gold medalist in gymnastics, Suní Lee, is back for her second Olympics. We have followed her two year struggle with kidney disease. Although Suni has declined to reveal the exact diagnosis for her kidney issues, we do know that kidney disease runs in her mother’s family. Her nephrologists at the Mayo Clinic in her hometown of Minnesota notified her in January that the treatment they had prescribed for her kidneys was working, and now her kidney disease is in full remission.😊 At the U.S. Olympic trials last month, less than six months after she returned to her training, she finished fourth in the all-around to secure her spot on her second Olympic team. Her parents watched her from high up in a suite.
Speaking to the crowd through a microphone with her Olympic teammates at her side, she said, “A year ago, I didn’t even think this was possible,” struggling to get out that last word before she doubled over in tears. Here at , we all look forward to cheering on Suní, who’s area of specialty is the uneven bars! 🇺🇸 ❤️🤍💙

Both Xavier, our Nurse Practitioner, and nephrologist, Dr. Carlos Bejar, are already seeing patients this morning on this beautiful last Monday in July. Wishing everyone a great week! 😊

A little more than a month after the Olympics wrap up, women triathletes will be heading to the south of France for another competition on the global stage.
The Women’s Ironman World Championship is Sept. 22, and Colorado native Liz Young has qualified for the big race.
Young grew up in Colorado Springs, lived in Denver for several years, and now works as a school counselor in China. Just recently, she became a sponsored athlete for the National Kidney Registry.
In 2022, Young donated one of her kidneys to a stranger.
“I don’t even know the man who has my kidney,” she said. “Every day, people are dying while they’re on the waitlist, waiting for a kidney. If more people considered kidney donation, it would decrease the number of people waiting for a kidney.”
Young has completed 11 Ironman competitions. This fall will be her sixth race with only one kidney.
“I have moments where I forget that I only have one kidney,” she said. “My health is the same as before, if not better.”

Living well with chronic kidney disease is a priority for our patients at . As the world population ages, an expected increase in the prevalence of chronic kidney disease among older individuals will pose a considerable challenge for health care systems in terms of resource allocation for disease management. Persons with known CKD or at high risk for its development can help in the successful management of kidney disease by maintaining their optimal fitness. Nutritional and exercise therapies are essential non-pharmacological treatments for older patients with CKD; these therapies not only enhance the effects of pharmacotherapies but may also help to maintain cognitive function and quality of life. Ask us how this can help YOU at your next visit.

Lisa Pisano, the first person to receive a mechanical heart pump as well as a gene-edited pig kidney, died Sunday, according to NYU Langone Health, where she had the surgery.
Pisano received the transplant on April 12, but the organ failed due to limited blood flow and was removed May 29.
Her case was the first reported organ transplant in a person with a mechanical heart pump, NYU Langone said, the second known transplant of a gene-edited pig kidney into a living recipient and the first transplanted along with the animal’s thymus gland. “Lisa’s contributions to medicine, surgery and xenotransplantation cannot be overstated,” Dr. Robert Montgomery, director of the NYU Langone Transplant Institute, said in a statement Tuesday. “Her bravery gave hope to thousands of people living with end-stage kidney or heart failure who could soon benefit from an alternative supply of organs.”

Former Miami Hurricane and NFL quarterback Bernie Kosar has revealed that he is battling multiple medical issues, including liver failure and Parkinson’s disease.
The 60-year-old, who played for the Cleveland Browns, opened up on his health battles, saying an ‘independent NFL doctor’ diagnosed him with Parkinson’s disease in February before he was placed on a liver transplant list in late spring. His doctors say he is strictly complying with his medical regimen, and is doing well currently. We are big fans of Bernie at and wish him well in his journey to transplant! 🙌🏼🧡💚

Tell me you’re really happy about your transplant without telling me you’re happy about your transplant! 💚

Kidney Group team members (in black) toured the Wound Care Department of Holy Cross Health. (L to R in photo) Andi, Kidney Group Office Administrator, Lucia, Hyperbaric Technician, Dr. William Ward, Wound Care Director, Barbara/Clinical Nurse Director of KCE, Monica-KCE Liaison. We got to see the various types of treatment rooms, meet their entire team, and look at the hyperbaric chamber equipment up close. We all decided laying in the hyperbaric chamber watching DVDs looks like a pretty relaxing way to spend an afternoon! 😂 At we are very diligent about preventing, identifying and healing wounds, especially in our dialysis and pre-Transplant population. Not only can wounds have very serious consequences for kidney patients, unhealed wounds can also delay or prevent a patient’s ability to be transplanted. We are so grateful to have the excellent work of the Holy Cross Wound Care team on our side! They treat all of our patients like VIPs! 💙 Holy Cross Health, Fort Lauderdale

Exciting news on Type 1 . https://www.facebook.com/share/59fnpz2BhgRFkPCm/?mibextid=WC7FNe

7 Participants in Type 1 Diabetes Cure Trial Are Now Insulin-Free More excellent results for a potential type 1 diabetes cure.

Meet our team member, Eric, and his dog, Pyro, who came to visit us at work in our Holy Cross office. Pyro is a Belgian Malinois (Belgian Shepard) Eric is a former Navy Corp Medic, and Pyro a former military pyrotechnic expert. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ When Eric is not at the , he also works security with Pyro at large public events, such as concerts and sporting events, making sure the venue is free of any danger. What an amazing duo!! Please bring him to visit soon again, Eric! We 💙 him!