In This Issue New ESRD NCC Patient COVID-19 Webpage  Register Now: The ESRD NCC Hosts Weekly COVID-19 “Quickinar” Events Patient Frequently Asked Questions and Answers about COVID-19 COVID-19 Emergency Relief Funds Now on the Patient Grant Library Mark Your Calendar KCER Newsletter: Preparing for Hurricane Season During COVID-19 New ESRD NCC Patient COVID-19 Webpage The End Stage Renal Disease National Coordinating Center (ESRD NCC) is working closely with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to make the latest information on Coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) available to the renal community. To support that effort, the ESRD NCC revised its Patient COVID-19 webpage. The redesigned webpage is user-centric and makes it easier to learn and locate valuable information about COVID-19. We hope you enjoy the new look! Visit https://esrdncc.org/en/patients/covid-19/ or go to www.kidneyCOVIDinfocenter.com and click on “For Patients.”

Register Now: The ESRD NCC Hosts Weekly COVID-19 "Quickinar" Events COVID-19 continues to be a developing pandemic that uniquely affects the renal community. Kidney patients, professionals, and renal organizations are working diligently to ensure the health and safety of patients and healthcare providers. The ESRD NCC is bringing the community together to share successes, lessons learned, and useful tips during the ESRD NCC COVID-19 “Quickinar” series. Visit https://esrdncc.org/en/covid-19/covid-quickinars/ to learn more. Or, check out and share the recordings located at on the ESRD NCC YouTube channel .  Past Professional-Focused COVID-19 Quickinars: Pathways to Increase Nephrologist Comfort Managing Home Dialysis Patients During COVID-19 How Dialysis Staff Can Help Patients Maintain Emotional Well-Being During COVID-19 Optimal Transition of Patients Into Home Dialysis in the COVID-19 Era Past Patient-Focused COVID-19 Quickinars: Caregiving During COVID-19: Tips From Kidney Caregivers Preparing for a Kidney Transplant During the COVID-19 Pandemic Maintaining Emotional Balance in an Unbalancing Time The ESRD NCC is committed to ensuring that people with kidney disease continue to receive high-quality care during the COVID-19 pandemic. Have ideas from your service area for future topics for professionals or patients? Email us at [email protected] .

Patient and Family Engagement

Patient Frequently Asked Questions and Answers About COVID-19 The ESRD NCC collaborated with CMS and researched many frequently asked questions (FAQs) about the COVID-19 virus, how it impacts kidney patients, and how to protect yourself and other from infection. Some key FAQs include: What precautions are dialysis facilities taking to prevent the spread of COVID-19 when dialysis patients are in the waiting rooms before and after their dialysis sessions? What personal protective equipment (PPE) should dialysis facility staff wear when you are receiving treatment? Is it okay to reuse a facemask? Visit https://esrdncc.org/en/patients/covid-19/faqs/ for answers to the FAQs. Also available in Spanish at https://esrdncc.org/en/patients/covid-19/faqs-spanish/ . More FAQs will be published as the pandemic evolves.

COVID-19 Emergency Relief Fund Now on the Patient Grant Library The COVID-19 pandemic is a new challenge for kidney patients and their families. To help impacted families, government, businesses, and private organizations created opportunities to assist those most at need. The ESRD NCC updated its Patient Grant Library with several of these new resources that can help pay for basic living and healthcare expenses. Also of note, many of the previously listed organizations have broadened their eligibility requirements to assist as many people as possible. Share  https://esrdncc.org/en/patients/patient-grant-library/ with the patients in your service area today!

Mark Your Calendar

June 1–30, Cataract Awareness Month June is Cataract Awareness month. According to Prevent Blindness , cataracts are the leading cause of blindness among older adults in the United States. Learn about the risks, symptoms, and treatments for cataracts at the Prevent Blindness website . June 1–30, National Safety Month National Safety Month uses weekly themes to raise awareness about different safety topics and focuses on saving lives and preventing injuries, from the workplace to anyplace. Visit the National Safety Council website to learn more and to find resources that support the sharing of safety messages. June 1 – 30, Men’s Health Month The purpose of Men’s Health Month is to raise awareness of preventable health problems and encourage early detection and treatment of disease among men and boys. Visit Men's Health Network to learn more. June 14, World Blood Donor Day This day is held to celebrate voluntary, unpaid blood donors and to raise awareness of the need for regular blood donations. The goal is to encourage more people all over the world to become donors and to donate regularly. Visit the World Health Organization (WHO) website to learn more about blood donation and obtain materials for promoting the day. There is an urgent need for blood donations due to COVID-19. If you would like to give blood, make an appointment today by visiting www.redcrossblood.org .  July 1 – 31, UV Safety Month July is ultra-violet (UV) Safety Awareness Month. The goal is to spread the word about how important it is to protect everyone’s skin from the harmful effects of UV rays . According to the American Cancer Society (ACS), UV radiation exposure is the root cause of most skin cancers. Here are tips from the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs on how to minimize the risk that comes with sun exposure. July 1 – 31, Sarcoma Awareness Month Sarcoma is a rare, but deadly, form of cancer affecting connective tissues such as fat, muscle, blood vessels, nerve, bone, deep skin, and cartilage. There are roughly 15,000 new cases in the United States each year. Take a moment to learn how to support families and researchers with awareness of sarcoma by visiting www.curesarcoma.org/sarcoma-awareness-month .   July 28, World Hepatitis Day World Hepatitis Day (WHD) takes place every year on July 28. WHD raises awareness of the global problem of viral hepatitis. WHO data show an estimated 257 million people living with chronic hepatitis B and 71 million people living with chronic hepatitis C worldwide. Viral hepatitis causes more than 1 million deaths each year. Visit www.worldhepatitisday.org to learn more.

KCER Watch Newsletter The KCER Watch Newsletter was developed to promote timely and relevant emergency preparedness education and information to the renal community, including important news and events from the emergency management field. The June edition of KCER Watch focuses on the: National response to COVID-19. Start of the 2020 hurricane season. Tips for dialysis patients on preparing for a major storm. Visit the KCER Watch webpage to access the June edition of KCER Watch and share the resource with others in your service area.

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This material was prepared the End Stage Renal Disease National Coordinating Center (ESRD NCC) contractor, under contract with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), an agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The contents presented do not necessarily reflect CMS policy nor imply endorsement by the U.S. Government. FL-ESRD NCC-7N51TB-05262020-01