Event

Register today for our annual Gift of Life dinner & auction!

Our annual Gift of Life dinner and auction is next month! We’re heading back to Tulalip Resort Casino on Sept. 16, 2023 to raise much-needed funds for our kidney patients—and we hope you’ll join us!

The event, hosted by the PSKC Foundation and the Kidney Auxiliary of Puget Sound (KAPS), is a chance for members of our community to gather, hear inspirational stories from our patients and staff, and raise money for the vital care and education services we provide.

Proceeds from the Gift of Life event make a huge difference in supporting quality care at PSKC by providing:

  • KAPS patient bags and blankets for new patients
  • Nutritional supplements to help patients maintain a healthy balanced diet
  • Kidney health education in our community, teaching people about kidney disease and ways to prevent it
  • KAPS support of patient comfort and emergent needs
  • Equipment and furnishings to support quality care environments

We simply couldn’t put this event on without our amazing sponsors, gracious table hosts, generous donors, and incredible volunteers.

Thanks to all who made our 2022 event a success (see photos below!) and register online today for our 2023 Gift of Life dinner and auction–you won’t want to miss it!

Our Lakewood center opens its doors, a beautiful new facility to serve Pierce County patients

About the state-of-the-art center

On Oct. 3, 2019, over 100 people came out to celebrate the opening of our new dialysis center in Lakewood, WA. Guests enjoyed tours and refreshments at this beautiful facility. At full capacity, this new 29-station dialysis center will accommodate up to 174 in-center dialysis patients. The center, designed by Botesch, Nash & Hall, was created to be a warm, welcoming and comfortable environment for patients and visitors.

“This new facility reflects our ongoing desire to provide a high quality and beautiful care environment for our patients, all in an effort to enhance their quality of life,” says Harold Kelly, PSKC president and CEO.

The 18,150 square foot facility includes three isolation rooms and a permanent bed for patients who need to lie down during dialysis. The facility will house a specialized training area for home dialysis patients, and the center will host free kidney health education classes for patients and the broader community.

Left: Harold Kelly, president and CEO at PSKC, addresses the crowd at the opening ceremony. Right: Our Lakewood staff are ready to serve our new patients in the area.

Introducing our Lakewood medical director

Dr. Ramon Anel has practiced for over 24 years, specializing in critical care medicine and nephrology. He graduated from the University of the Philippines Manila College of Medicine and completed his residency at Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center in Chicago. Dr. Anel currently practices with the Providence Medical Group in Olympia.

Medical directors are an important part of the Puget Sound Kidney Centers team as they are responsible for assuring the safety and quality of care patients receive at each unit. They are also responsible for implementing the quality advancement projects that assure PSKC continues to identify areas for improvement and innovation. In this capacity, Dr. Anel serves along with a team of professionals that include nurses, technicians, renal dietitians and social workers.

“Dr. Anel has been instrumental in introducing PSKC to the Lakewood community,” says Jenni Tyner, director of nursing at PSKC. “We are delighted to partner with him as we serve the dialysis community of Lakewood.”

Welcome, Dr. Anel, and thank you for your leadership.

Puget Sound Kidney Centers has seven dialysis centers in Washington state. See where we’re located and learn more about us. You can even follow us on social media – we’re on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Pinterest.

2017 Gift of Life dinner & auction raises more than ever before!

A big thank you to the 240 guests who attended our annual Gift of Life dinner and auction in September. We raised a record $237,000—the most dollars ever raised—at this year’s event!

Guests at the event take a look at the Puppy Package during the silent auction.

 

“It was truly a great evening. It really is special to see so many people turn out to support the work we do at Puget Sound Kidney Centers,” says Harold Kelly, president and CEO of PSKC. “Those of us at PSKC feel very fortunate to be part of such a caring community of friends and colleagues who share in our mission to enhance the lives of people with kidney disease.”

 

The ‘wine grab,’ always a favorite!

 

This year’s event also had a record number of sponsors and auction donors, and because of their support we were able to raise additional funds to support patients.

See more photos from this year’s Gift of Life dinner & auction below. We’re already looking forward to next year’s event and we hope you are too!

 

Guests Denise and Pete Sontra.

Karen and Chris Schmitt.

Auctioneer Nelson Jay.

Guest Jenni Tyner and friends.

 

We couldn’t do what we do without the support of the amazing community around us. Learn more about what we do for kidney patients and those at risk for kidney disease in our community.

 

Puget Sound Kidney Centers’ Annual Dialysis Conference a big success

We held this year’s Annual Dialysis Update conference on May 18, 2017 in Lynnwood, WA and were very pleased with our top-notch presenters and the discussions that ensued from their presentations. Designed to address key issues affecting the rapidly changing field of dialysis and the impact of such changes on patient health outcomes, the conference aims to inform professionals in dialysis care about recent developments in the field and allows attendees to exchange ideas and practical solutions with one another.

Presenters discussed dialysis access, the appropriate dialysis prescription and managing mineral metabolism in dialysis patients. They also covered poverty, something many dialysis patients face, and the benefits of home hemodialysis.

Surgeon Dr. John Crabtree presented on peritoneal dialysis access at this year’s conference.

We were thrilled with the feedback we received from attendees.

“Extremely varied program kept conference interesting. Top-notch speakers.”
“Great conference! Kudos to organizers and speakers.”
“Excellent caliber of speakers! Love the combination of high quality clinical care and science with the tops of compassion and humanizing dialysis.”
“Great in every way!”

The conference, co-chaired by renowned nephrologist Dr. Suhail Ahmad and Dr. Pamila Keech, Puget Sound Kidney Centers’ chief medical officer, welcomed healthcare professionals from near and far.

ADU conference attendees listened to presentations.

Dr. Pamila Keech, Puget Sound Kidney Centers’ chief medical officer, with Dr. Donna Beegle. Dr. Beegle presented on poverty to this year’s conference attendees.

 

We’re already looking forward to next year’s event! Check back on our website next Spring for information on the 2018 conference.

And make sure to follow us on Facebook and Twitter to stay up-to-date with other Puget Sound Kidney Centers events.

 

Puget Sound Kidney Centers team walks at first annual Seattle Kidney Walk

We had a great time walking at the National Kidney Foundation’s first annual Seattle Kidney Walk March 26, 2017 at Safeco Field, home of the Seattle Mariners!

Participants walked four laps around the concourse inside Safeco Field, heard from kidney researchers and leaders from the National Kidney Foundation and other nonprofits, and received information about kidney disease and ways to prevent it.

Puget Sound Kidney Centers’ team members David and Bob above center field at the Seattle Kidney Walk March 26, 2017 at Safeco Field.

Puget Sound Kidney Centers also sponsored the walk that raised, in total, more than $90,000 for the National Kidney Foundation. These funds help the nonprofit work to raise awareness of kidney disease around the country and support programs for kidney patients and those at risk.

Puget Sound Kidney Centers’ walk team members included (L to R): Michelle, a social worker at PSKC, Bob, from The Road Back to Life, Sara, a dietitian at PSKC, and Jane, executive director of the Puget Sound Kidney Centers Foundation.

Our CEO, Harold Kelly, and 20 staff members, family and friends walked as the Puget Sound Kidney Centers team. A huge thank you to all who took part in the walk and a special congratulations to Michelle who, as our team top fundraiser, got to run the bases at Safeco!

Puget Sound Kidney Centers’ top fundraiser Michelle runs the bases at Safeco!

The walk served as a good reminder that exercise goes a long way towards preventing kidney disease. Other ways to prevent kidney disease or slow it from progressing include:
• Keep your salt intake to a minimum
• Avoid high protein diets
• Choose foods low in saturated fat and cholesterol
• Stop smoking
• Maintain a healthy weight
• Get moving! Exercise regularly.

Find out more ways to prevent kidney disease or, if you do have kidney disease, check out our free classes to learn how to slow it down.

And make sure to follow us on Facebook and Twitter to get more tips for living well!