Alaska Kidney Foundation gives another $30,000 to support scholarships at UAA
by Kathleen McCoy |
Nearly 200 students supported by scholarship since 2002
The Alaska Kidney Foundation will give $30,000 to the University of Alaska Anchorage in 2010 for scholarship support. Since 2002, the Foundation has provided $420,000 in scholarship money to the University, which has supported 181 students pursuing nursing degrees. The scholarship program benefits both students-in-need and Alaska citizens who require qualified nurses in their local communities.
Established in 1973, the Alaska Kidney Foundation works to prevent kidney disease, increase detection of early kidney disease, empower kidney patients through education, improve kidney patient health care, enhance the quality of life for kidney patients, increase organ donation and support kidney disease research.
The Foundation believes that providing good basic health care is key to preventing kidney-related diseases. Suzanne Goodrich, executive director of the Alaska Kidney Foundation, explains that one of the Foundation's goals is to prevent kidney disease through education.
The Alaska Kidney Foundation Scholarship helps prepare new nurses to provide safe and effective care to individuals experiencing chronic kidney disease in Alaska. Goodrich said, "Supporting nursing students is a part of the Foundation's mission to raise awareness of kidney disease and provide support for Alaskans who have or are at risk of kidney disease."
In 2002, the UAA School of Nursing established the goal of doubling the number of basic nursing graduates by 2006. To help meet this goal, the Alaska Kidney Foundation gave its first gift of $20,000 in 2002 to support scholarships at UAA.
"The UAA School of Nursing is very grateful to the Alaska Kidney Foundation for its continued support of our students," said Jean Ballantyne, director of UAA's School of Nursing. "The vast majority of Alaska Kidney Foundation Scholarship recipients have graduated and remained in Alaska to augment the nursing workforce and to improve the care of patients experiencing impaired kidney function."
For more information on the Alaska Kidney Foundation Scholarship and a list of recipients, visit this Web site.
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