Fresenius Kidney Care, the dialysis division of Fresenius Medical Care North America and the nation’s leading network of dialysis facilities, invites the community to attend an open house celebration on Tuesday, Sept. 10 at its new center in Sutton. In Massachusetts, there are nearly 11,750 patients on dialysis.

Fresenius Kidney Care Oxford Dialysis Center will have capacity to treat up to 72 patients a week. Patients, healthcare providers, and members of the community will be able to tour the center and learn about chronic kidney disease. Clinicians will also provide screenings and risk assessments and offer blood pressure checks at the event.

About 1 in 7 adults in the U.S. have chronic kidney disease, with many not detecting the condition until they have lost more than 96 percent of their kidney function. Symptoms and warning signs for late-stage kidney disease include changes in urination, fatigue, swelling in hands or feet, and pain in the small of the back. Physicians recommend that people who are at risk for CKD are screened at least once a year. More than 600,000 Americans live with kidney failure, which requires either a transplant or dialysis to remove waste from the blood, maintain safe levels of potassium and sodium, and control blood pressure.

WHAT:          Open House at Fresenius Kidney Care Oxford Dialysis Center

Local experienced medical professionals available to discuss:

• Patient services and the latest dialysis treatment options, including in center dialysis, which takes place in a kidney dialysis center, under the supervision of a care team.
• How the center’s care team meets patients’ physical and emotional needs by individualizing their care.
• How Fresenius Kidney Care Oxford Dialysis Center strives to empower people to thrive and live the healthiest, fullest way possible – with kidney disease treatments that fit in with life, not the other way around.
• How FreseniusRx renal-trained pharmacists can help dialysis patients manage their medications.
• How to begin the search for a transplant.
• How to sign up for Fresenius Kidney Care’s free KidneyCare:365 class to learn more about kidney disease.

Light refreshments available.

WHO:            Open to the public

WHEN:          Tuesday, Sept. 10

                       5:30 – 7:30 p.m.

WHERE:        Fresenius Kidney Care Oxford Dialysis Center

                       10A Galaxy Pass

Sutton, MA 01590-4836

COST:             Free

CONTACT:   For more information, please contact Clinical Manager Karen Furia at karen.furia@fmc-na.com or (508) 634-4331.

MEDIA CONTACT: To arrange interviews with the care team and/or obtain photos of the new center please contact Lauren Martin at lmartin@pcipr.com or 312-558-1770.

About Fresenius Kidney Care

Fresenius Kidney Care, a division of Fresenius Medical Care North America (FMCNA), provides dialysis treatment and support services to more than 190,000 people with kidney disease every year whether in their own homes or at more than 2,400 facilities nationwide. Fresenius Kidney Care’s dedicated teams help address the physical and emotional aspects of kidney disease through personalized care, education, and lifestyle support services. For more information about Fresenius Kidney Care, visit www.FreseniusKidneyCare.com.

Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) Statistics

• About 1 in 7 U.S. adults, or about 30 million people, have CKD.
• The leading causes of CKD are diabetes and high blood pressure. Together they account for 73 percent of new diagnoses.
• About 96 percent of people with reduced kidney function do not even know it. The progression of kidney disease can often be slowed with early treatment, but many people do not show symptoms until late stages of CKD.
• Kidney disease affects people of all ages, but those 60 and over are the most likely to develop it.
• Certain ethnic groups, including African Americans, Hispanics, and Native Americans, are at a higher risk of CKD.
• Mortality rates for people living with kidney failure declined 28% between 2001 and 2015.
• 95,000 Americans are waiting for a kidney transplant while 215,000 are currently living with a transplant.

Dialysis Fast Facts

• 1 in 3 people starting dialysis had not seen a kidney doctor before the diagnosis.
• Nearly 500,000 Americans are receiving life-sustaining dialysis treatment.
• Cardiovascular disease is prevalent in 70 percent of patients receiving hemodialysis.
• 12 percent of patients currently administer their own dialysis at home.
• Home dialysis has increased 82 percent since 2007.