Get loud about America’s biggest silent killer this March, National Kidney Awareness Month.

Throughout the month, the National Kidney Foundation of Michigan (NKFM) takes many steps to spread awareness and prevention of kidney disease. According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), kidney disease is the ninth leading cause of death in the United States.  Symptoms only appear once an individual has reached an advanced stage, leading to its moniker, “the silent killer”.

Kidneys play a critical role in maintaining the human body, according to the National Kidney Foundation’s website. The pair of organs, which are around 4-5 inches respectively, filter 200 liters of blood every day, while also helping to regulate blood pressure and direct red blood cell production.

However, unhealthy diets and obesity can lead to kidney disease, such as cysts, stones and cancer.

“Teens should be concerned.  Kidney disease can touch anyone at any age,” NKFM Senior Communications Manager Marcie Gerlach said via e-mail.

Celebrities who have suffered from kidney diseases include Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Gary Coleman and George Lopez, according to the University Kidney Research Organization website.

According to nkfm.org, obesity is a direct and indirect cause of kidney disease. It is direct because the kidneys have to work harder to filter the blood of someone who is overweight, and indirect because obesity can lead to diabetes and high blood pressure which account for more than 70 percent of all cases.

“The habits you create for healthy living are formed in your young adulthood like eating habits and exercise,” said Dr. Keith Bellovich, a nephrologist at St. Clair Specialty Physicians.

Bellovich said with rates exploding nationwide, everyone should know about kidney disease.  She also said schools have started to take an active role by offering more appropriate food sources but need to do more, he said

“More water, less soda,” Bellovich said, in regards to healthier beverage options. “It is important to pay close attention to healthy eating choices and including exercise as part of your daily schedule.

Only lung cancer has higher death rates than kidney disease compared to all the other cancers, Bellovich said.

Bellovich also said he would like the community to join in combatting issues surrounding kidney disease prevention as vigorously as it does cancer or heart disease.

Mary Claire Graham  ’19 is an active athlete who rows six days a week, year-round at the Detroit Boat Club.

“Staying fit and finding good balance is always a must, you need to have good moderation with staying healthy,” Graham said..

Graham also said schools should work to incorporate more prevention techniques into their curriculum because obesity is such a growing problem.

Bellovich agrees and said students are the generation who are going to have to care for the rapidly-aging baby boomer generation who will consume a large proportion of health care dollars in the decades to come.

“Students need to start learning about the healthcare crisis in America and decide what role they are going to play in improving the quality of care for lower costs for everyone,” Bellovich said.

And kidney disease is expensive.  Once someone’s kidneys fail, dialysis can cost more than $70,000 per year. Should a patient receive a kidney transplant, the cost can top $250,000.

According to the CDC and the NKF, one in 10 adults have kidney disease, and most don’t know it.  In addition, one in three people are at risk of developing kidney disease.

“Students need to know if they are at risk for developing kidney disease,” Graham said.

Gerlach said students should eat healthy foods, get exercise, stay at a healthy weight and avoid smoking to help to prevent kidney disease and its leading causes.