Fourth Floor of the Warde Academic Center The Xavierite
The National Kidney Foundation of Illinois (NKFI) hosted an on campus event on Nov. 10 for Saint Xavier University students to learn about kidney health and receive free health screenings.
The event was co-sponsored by Students for H.O.P.E. (Helping Organ Procurement Education), a student organization that promotes education and awareness about organ and tissue donation, along with the university’s Nursing Honor Society.
Cyndi Grobmeier, Ed.D., faculty advisor for Students for H.O.P.E. and president of the nonprofit Maddog Strong Foundation, helped organize the event and strengthen the partnership between SXU and NKFI.
“Our mission is to bring awareness about organ and tissue donation, particularly to teens and young adults,” Grobmeier explained. “Students for H.O.P.E. partnered with the National Kidney Foundation of Illinois to make this event possible, and we hope to offer it twice a year, once every fall and spring semester.”
This marks the second year the screening event has been held at SXU. The first took place last year, also offering free kidney health screenings for the university community.
John McNamara, a student at SXU and president of Students for H.O.P.E., described how he became involved with the organization. “[Dr.] Grobmier asked me during my sophomore year. I just wanted to get more involved on campus, and I thought it would be nice” he said.
The event’s hands-on operations were led by Gerardo Huerta, a community health worker and Senior Outreach Coordinator for NKFI, who has been working with the foundation since 2016. He and his team travel across the state to provide free testing to the public.
Gerardo Huerta The Xavierite
“We do all of Illinois,” Huerta said. “Whoever invites us, schools, churches, community centers, we go. Since 2016, we’ve checked more than 77,000 people, and about 40 percent had abnormal results.”
The NKFI screenings include several health stations, such as urine tests, blood pressure checks, glucose testing, and BMI measurements. Those with abnormal readings are offered further blood testing.
Consultation Station The Xavierite
“Diabetes and high blood pressure are the two biggest dangers for kidney health,” Huerta explained. “They are silent killers that damage the kidneys slowly. That is why prevention and early detection are so important.”
Huerta even gave the analogy of a Thanksgiving dinner table, stating, “I ask people to close their eyes and think about their last Thanksgiving, and to pick four people who were at the table. Out of those people, one might be overweight, another might have diabetes, and another might have high blood pressure. And when I tell people that, everyone says, ‘Yes, you’re right.’ I’m telling you, the numbers are real.”
Despite the rainy weather on the day of the event, both Grobmeier and Huerta were pleased with the turnout. “It was very good,” Huerta said. “We were happy to see so many students come through, even with the weather.”
To keep these events free, the NKFI raises money through fundraisers such as marathons, golf tournaments, and dinner galas. “We participate in events all year to raise the funds that make these screenings possible,” Huerta added.
Grobmeier hopes the screenings become a lasting tradition at SXU. “Our goal is to make this a regular event,” she said. “The earlier people learn about their health and take steps to protect it, the better their chances for a long and healthy life.”