Fresenius Medical Care North America (FMCNA), the nation's leading network of dialysis facilities, today launched its second annual Champions in Motion program, which recognizes dialysis patients across the country who have distinguished themselves by their commitment to regular physical activity. The program is part of FMCNA's Healthy Lifestyle initiative, which aims to help people with kidney failure live better lives on dialysis by encouraging them to exercise and maintain healthy diets.

Over the next few months, FMCNA will honor 20 dialysis patients, ranging in age from 27 to 88, who have committed themselves to regular exercise, whether it's a morning walk, swim or jog, or riding a bike or playing golf.

Patients were nominated by FMCNA healthcare teams across the U.S., and the final selections were made by a committee representing the company's various medical disciplines. Award winners will be honored throughout the fall by their local clinical care teams, with certificates and rosettes. Their stories will also be featured on ultracare-dialysis.com.

Louis Slaughter, a patient in Lansing, Mich., was recognized as a Champion in Motion because of his active lifestyle, which includes playing golf, hunting and fishing. The 53-year-old pastor has kept fit and maintained a positive attitude during the 20 years since he began dialysis, while receiving, and later losing, a kidney transplant.

Slaughter's simple advice to other dialysis patients: stay active and you'll feel better. "Exercise not only improves your overall health," he says, "it helps you rebound faster from treatment and maintain a normal lifestyle."

Regular exercise is associated with numerous health benefits, including stronger muscles and heart; increased joint flexibility; improved circulation, digestion and sleep; and better control of blood pressure and body weight. That's why FMCNA encourages its dialysis patients to work with their clinics' healthcare teams - including nephrologists, nephrology nurses, social workers and dietitians - to create an exercise program tailored to their specific needs and fitness level.

"Physical activity is important for anyone with chronic kidney disease, including those with end-stage renal disease, who require either dialysis or a kidney transplant," said Dugan W. Maddux, M.D., FACP and vice president of Chronic Kidney Disease Initiatives at FMCNA. "Many patients on dialysis find that they feel better if they get regular exercise, and part of our jobs as renal professionals is to help patients find activities that are right for them, no matter what level of activity they may be used to. Everyone can do something."

Through its Healthy Lifestyle initiative, FMCNA is also promoting the benefits of healthy diets and good nutrition, which are important considerations for all dialysis patients. To support its healthy nutrition campaign, FMCNA has partnered with Food Network Chef Aaron McCargo, Jr. Throughout 2013, Chef McCargo is developing new dialysis-friendly recipes, attending patient events, and promoting healthy diets that include tasty, satisfying meals for people with kidney failure.

Patients can find fitness tips, videos and other information about staying active and maintaining a healthy diet on FMCNA's website: www.ultracare-dialysis.com.

About Fresenius Medical Care North America

Through our leading network of more than 2,150 dialysis facilities in North America and our vascular access centers, laboratory, pharmacy and affiliated hospitals and nephrology practices, Fresenius Medical Care provides renal services to hundreds of thousands of people throughout the United States, Mexico and Canada. We are also the continent's top producer of dialysis equipment, dialyzers and related disposable products and a major supplier of renal pharmaceuticals.

For more information about the company, visit www.fmcna.com; for information about patient services, visit www.ultracare-dialysis.com.

Media contact:
Full & By
Jaclyn Petros, 617-638-0022 / voice
petrosj@fullandby.co
or
Company contact:
Fresenius Medical Care
Rosemary Heinold, 781-699-4171 / voice
rosemary.heinold@fmc-na.com