Kidney Professionals Named As 2018 Medal Of Excellence Award Winners

TAMPA, Fla., Feb. 14, 2018 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The American Association of Kidney Patients America's largest patient-lead kidney advocacy organization, has announced the recipients of its 2018 Medal of Excellence.  The award is the Association's highest honor for kidney healthcare professionals.

"It is an honor to recognize professionals committed to improving the lives of patients through research, technology and quality-driven treatments that protect patient dignity and fully align with patient aspirations. Our 2018 Medal of Excellence recipients exceed the highest levels of professional excellence from the patient viewpoint and are superb ambassadors for their respective programs," stated Paul T. Conway, AAKP President.

The Medal of Excellence Award Dinner will take place Friday, March 16, 2018 at the Hilton Orlando Lake Buena Vista Hotel in Orlando, FL, in conjunction with the Renal Physicians Association's Annual Meeting. Tickets to attend the dinner may be purchased for $125/each on the AAKP website or by calling 813-400-2395.

2018 Honorees

Physician Category

Rebecca Schmidt, DO, FACP, FASN, is Section Chief and Professor of Medicine with Tenure for West Virginia University School of Medicine, Department of Medicine ? Section of Nephrology in Morgantown, WV . She leads the Mission on Outreach and Telemedicine for the Department of Medicine at WVU and serves on the Board of Directors for ESRD Network 5 and Medical Advisory Board for AAKP. Dr. Schmidt is the Past President and first woman President of the Renal Physicians Association

Nursing Category

Nancy Uhland, NP, is a nurse practitioner in the Renal Division of the George Washington Medical Faculty Associates in Washington, D.C. and works closely with kidney patients and their caregivers, including patients receiving kidney transplants through the George Washington Transplant Institute and community members engaged through the George Washington University Ron and Joy Paul Kidney Center.

Social Work Category

Wanda Driggers, LMSW, is a licensed social worker for Fresenius Medical Care for the Myrtle Beach/Hilton Head, SC region. Ms. Driggers began her dialysis career in 2001 overseeing social work responsibilities for three clinics and providing social work services to over 125 patients. Ms. Driggers is well-known for her patient education videos and presentations, providing humor with important education to help engage new and current dialysis patients. Her development of a highly successful patient travel program transitioned her into the position she holds today.

Dietitian Category

Stacey Adams, MPH, RD, CDN, is Senior Renal Dietitian at The Rogosin Institute in New York, New York. She has served the patient population for more than 17 years by assisting with the development of the Institute's Nutritional Manual and the creation of a Nutrition Supplement Program for high-risk patients. Ms. Adams works closely with in-center hemodialysis and home hemodialysis patients, as well as their families to ensure everyone understands the importance of the renal diet and how best to support their family member.

For additional information on the Medal of Excellence or sponsorship opportunities, visit https://aakp.org/medal-of-excellence/ or [email protected].

MORE Information:
Deborah Pelaez                                                           
(800) 749-AAKP
[email protected]

SOURCE American Association of Kidney Patients