By Lynne Wright, MSW, LSW – Program Coordinator, Patient Services, Kidney Foundation of Central Pennsylvania

Every week, I sit with people who are navigating one of the toughest diagnoses of their lives: chronic kidney disease. What strikes me every time is not the burden they carry — though it is real and heavy, but the strength they bring to the table. Many are balancing work, raising children, and managing treatments that can last four hours a session, three days a week. And still, they push forward. Quietly. Determinedly.

But strength alone isn’t enough. What patients tell us, again and again, is that the real turning point comes when they discover they don’t have to walk this path alone.

At the Kidney Foundation of Central Pennsylvania, that belief is at the heart of our Patient & Family Partner Care Program. We pair patients with mentors who have lived the same journey — people who can talk honestly about fear, uncertainty, resilience, and hope.

This simple human connection fills one of the most stubborn gaps in kidney care: the gap between clinical treatment and emotional, educational, day-to-day support. It’s a gap that healthcare systems rarely have the bandwidth to close, but we do.

The Reality We’re Facing

Across Pennsylvania, more than 30,000 people are on dialysis right now. Another wave is approaching dialysis or transplant eligibility. Too many of them enter this phase without the information, guidance, or support they need. They miss early education. They miss resources. They miss community.

And when that happens, the disease accelerates — and so does the hardship.

Where Partnership Makes the Difference

Our Patient & Partner Care Program was built to change that trajectory.

What we’ve seen is clear:

• When patients have a mentor, they become more confident in managing their treatment.

• They’re more likely to advocate for themselves in clinical settings.

• They understand their options sooner.

• They feel less isolated.

• They stay emotionally stronger as they face each stage of the disease.

This isn’t anecdotal anymore, national research backs it. Kidney care outcomes improve when people are supported holistically, not just medically.

Community connection isn’t a “nice-to-have.” It’s a clinical advantage.

Closing the Gaps Starts Early

The biggest opportunity to improve outcomes is long before a patient ends up in a dialysis chair. Early education can slow disease progression. Early guidance can help families plan. Early support can empower patients to take control of their health.

This is where the gaps show — and where KFCP steps in with purpose.

When someone reaches out to us, they aren’t just getting a brochure. They’re getting a partner. A voice. A guide who will sit with them through the confusion, the grief, the choices, and the victories.

Because when you help someone understand their diagnosis earlier, support their mental health, and equip them with real-life tools, you change their future.

When we talk about Closing the Gaps in Kidney Care, we’re talking about programs that deliver what the clinical system can’t, and what patients desperately need.

You Make This Possible

To everyone who supports this work — thank you. Your generosity fuels real, human connection. It strengthens families. It gives people a way forward when they feel lost.

Most importantly, it ensures no one has to face kidney disease alone.

If you’ve ever wondered what impact looks like, this is it:
A patient sitting across from a partner who has walked the same road — hearing the words that change everything.

“I’ve been there. You’re not alone. And you’ve got this.”