Recently Virginia Tech students’ local chapter of the Kidney Disease Screening and Awareness Program (KDSAP) conducted their first kidney screening at Warm Hearth Village (WHV). This was the final milestone to establish a Virginia Tech (VT) Chapter of the national program. Li-Li Hsiao, MD, PhD, the Harvard doctor who started the program in 2008, came from Harvard with her assistant to train the students on screening. Hsiao, a Harvard Associate Professor of Medicine and a nephrologist at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, supervised the students from VT and Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine (VCOM) who screened 39 participants from the Village and the greater community. Each participant then had a consultation with Hsiao to get an overview of their kidney health. She explained individual risk factors for chronic kidney disease (CKD), discussed preventive measures, and of offered personalized guidance on managing their kidney health.
The screening was a success and the students plan to return to the Village once or twice each year. Sachin Gandhi, Senior, Clinical Neuroscience and Vice President of KDSAP became involved with the VT chapter of KDSAP because of a strong interest in preventive healthcare and a desire to help his community. “The opportunity to make a tangible difference in people’s lives, especially by addressing kidney disease—a condition often overlooked until it’s severe—was a motivating factor. WHV is a unique setting where many residents could benefit from early CKD screening and health education, and they welcomed us with open arms,” Gandhi said. He continued, “Going forward, I hope to see our chapter expand its reach across the Blacksburg community, offering regular screenings and building partnerships with local organizations. Ultimately, I envision our chapter fostering a culture of proactive health awareness, particularly for at-risk populations. Dr. Hsiao commented on how great WHV is and that the staff was so helpful. She said we were lucky to have had this opportunity and I agree.”
“Our first screening was a powerful reminder of the impact preventative healthcare can have within our community. One of the most rewarding parts of the event for me was connecting with Warm Hearth residents as they waited—hearing about where they’re from, the health challenges they face, and how much they appreciated having a service like this right at their doorstep,” said Soham Desai, Senior, Nanomedicine and President of KDSAP at VT. “Many shared they and their peers had been unaware of these preventative health measures especially considering how many are affected by related health conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure, and obesity. This reinforced our incredible team commitment to keep improving and expanding the reach of these screenings to better support our community’s health needs,” he added.
As WHV brings our 50th anniversary celebrations to a close, we would like to thank all who arranged and participated in the screening extend our heartfelt gratitude to all the business and academic partners whose generous financial contributions, collaborative initiatives, and volunteer time and talent have made an impact on our mission. As a nonprofit organization, partnering with the greater community strengthens our efforts and inspires us to build a bright future together. We look forward to achieving even more in the next 50 years and we thank you for your ongoing support. Thank you.
