DaVita Inc. , a leading provider of kidney care services for those diagnosed with chronic kidney disease (CKD), kicks off the DaVita Kidney Awareness Run/Walks™ - a 10-city series of 5K events raising funds and awareness of CKD across the nation -- on Sept. 13 at Stapleton Central Park in Denver.

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20020729/DAVITALOGO)

The Run/Walks will take place in Denver, Chicago, Cleveland, Cincinnati, St. Louis, Sacramento, Long Beach, Ft. Worth, Virginia Beach and Washington D.C.

A silent epidemic, CKD affects one in nine Americans, totaling around 26 million adults, with 90 percent unaware they are suffering from it. The chance that an American adult has CKD is almost as high as an American woman's risk of getting breast cancer. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recognize CKD as a major public health problem that reduces the quality and length of life. Beyond raising awareness around CKD, the free kidney screening and other services offered during the events aim to delay or prevent people from experiencing kidney failure and having to undergo dialysis.

"The statistics are staggering. As a team moving towards a common goal, we can get the word out about the importance of getting tested right now," said Barbara Lawson, President and CEO of The Kidney TRUST™, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization working to prevent kidney disease through public education and awareness across the United States. All funds raised from this year's events will benefit The Kidney TRUST.

The DaVita Kidney Awareness Run/Walks will feature kidney health screenings at no cost, entertainment and games for the entire family, as well as a kidney health expo to promote awareness of CKD. Participants will be given the tools to educate their community about the importance of early testing.

For more information about registration for each event, please visit www.kidneyawarenesstime.org.

DaVita and DaVita Kidney Awareness Run/Walks are trademarks or registered trademarks of DaVita Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

About DaVita Inc.

DaVita Inc., a FORTUNE 500 company, is a leading provider of kidney care in the United States, providing dialysis services and education for patients with chronic kidney failure and end stage renal disease. DaVita has been recognized as the only FORTUNE 500 company on WorldBlu's annual List of Most Democratic Workplaces™. As of June 30, 2009, DaVita operated or provided administrative services at 1,493 outpatient dialysis facilities and acute units in approximately 700 hospitals located in 43 states and the District of Columbia, serving approximately 116,000 patients. As part of DaVita's commitment to building a healthy, caring community, DaVita develops, participates in and donates to numerous programs dedicated to transforming communities and creating positive, sustainable change for children, families and our environment. For more information about DaVita, its kidney education materials and its community programs, please visit www.davita.com.

First Call Analyst:
FCMN Contact: LeAnne.Zumwalt@davita.com

SOURCE: DaVita Inc.