HEALTH & WELLNESS
“AFRICAN AMERICANS MAKE UP 13% OF THE U.S. POPULATION. HOWEVER, AFRICAN-AMERICANS ACCOUNT FOR 35% OF THE CASES OF KIDNEY FAILURE EVERY YEAR. ”
Frater Alonzo Mourning discusses AMKD during the health and wellness fireside chat at the 86th Grand Chapter Meeting.
AKMD 'TO-DO' LIST 1. Take charge of your health: know your family history. Does anyone in your family have kidney disease? 2. See a doctor regularly: talk to them about your personal risk of kidney disease and how to stay healthy. 3. Get tested for kidney disease if you have symp- toms. If you are diagnosed with kidney disease and have other characteris- tics of AMKD, talk to your doctor about getting genotyped for the APOL1 risk variants.
kidney disease. Today, people of sub-Saharan
variants of the APOL1 gene that affect people of African ancestry— are also a factor in accounting for these health disparities. Because of the genetic nature of AMKD, exploring the critical link between
African ancestry may carry these APOL1 genetic vari- ants, including people who identify as Black, African American, Afro-Caribbean, and Latino/Latina. Approximately 13% of African-Americans have two APOL1 risk variants, significantly increasing our risk of developing kidney disease and kidney failure.
your family’s medical history and your own
gene. It’s present in many tissues, including the kidneys, and it’s a part of our body’s immune system.
well-being is paramount. You could feel perfectly fine and still be at risk of developing kidney disease. For example, basketball legend Alonzo Mourning was at the peak of his athletic career when he first started feeling symptoms, and our fellow Brother Kevin Mott was also living a healthy lifestyle when AMKD struck him seem- ingly out of nowhere. ♦
Over the past 3,000- 10,000 years, the gene
AMKD IN OUR COMMUNITY
evolved in specific ways in people who lived in sub-Sa- haran Africa to protect them from resistant forms of an infectious parasite. This evolution resulted in the emergence of “genetic variants” or “risk variants” of the APOL1 gene. In 2010, scientists found that people with two APOL1 risk variants face an increased risk of developing
African-Americans make up 13% of the U.S. population. However, African Ameri- cans account for 35% of the cases of kidney failure every year. Research now shows that genetics— specifically
Visit www.PowerForwardTogether.com for resources for talking to your family and your doctor about AMKD, as well as genetic testing resources to find out if you have the APOL1 variants that cause AMKD.
SCAN HERE TO VIEW The Conclave 2023 AKMD Fireside Chat.
SUMMER 2023 ♦ THE JOURNAL 17
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