DENVER, March 11, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- DaVita, a division of DaVita HealthCare Partners Inc. (NYSE: DVA) and a leading provider of kidney care services, will host a Google+ Hangout on Air dedicated to global kidney disease awareness on World Kidney Day.

Join the "Be #KidneyAware: Raise Kidney Disease Awareness Worldwide" Google+ Hangout on Air on Thursday, March 13, at 8:30 a.m. PT/11:30 a.m. ET by registering at http://bit.ly/WKDHangout.

Panelists for the Google+ Hangout on Air are:

    --  Dr. Allen Nissenson, DaVita chief medical officer
    --  Dr. Topoti Mukherjee, nephrologist for DaVita NephroLife in Bangalore,
        India
    --  Sara Hendren, director of operations for Bridge of Life--DaVita Medical
        Missions
    --  Angela Lattimore, Dialysis Patient Citizens advocate

Roughly 1.4 million people worldwide are on dialysis, and that number continues to grow each year. Kidney disease is seen by many as a worldwide health concern and people are starting to realize the importance of raising awareness across the globe.

"Kidney disease is growing by eight percent annually worldwide, and it demands more attention from the global health community," said Dr. Topoti Mukherjee, a nephrologist for DaVita NephroLife in Bangalore, India. "We're facing the reality that awareness, education and prevention are needed in almost every nation. For example, in India less than 10 percent of people with kidney failure receive any form of treatment. Without proper treatment, kidney disease could take the lives of millions of people around the globe."

When caught early enough, the progression of kidney disease can be slowed down or in some cases even prevented with diet and help from an integrated care team. If kidney disease progresses to end stage renal disease, transplant and dialysis are the only options for survival.

To learn your risk for kidney disease, take a short quiz at DaVita.com/LearnYourRisk.

DaVita dialysis centers across the world are hosting screening events to help individuals assess their kidney function. DaVita currently operates clinics in China, Colombia, Germany, India, Malaysia, Poland, Portugal, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Taiwan and the United States.

To learn more about DaVita's commitment to improving quality of life for kidney care patients around the world, visit DaVita.com/International.

DaVita, DaVita HealthCare Partners are trademarks or registered trademarks of DaVita HealthCare Partners Inc.

About DaVita
DaVita is the dialysis division of DaVita HealthCare Partners Inc., a Fortune 500® company that, through its operating divisions, provides a variety of health care services to patient populations throughout the United States and abroad. A leading provider of kidney care in the United States, DaVita delivers dialysis services to patients with chronic kidney failure and end stage renal disease. DaVita strives to improve patients' quality of life by innovating clinical care, and by offering integrated treatment plans, personalized care teams and convenient health-management services. As of Dec. 31, 2013, DaVita operated or provided administrative services at 2,074 outpatient dialysis centers located in the United States serving approximately 163,000 patients. The company also operated 73 outpatient dialysis centers located in ten countries outside the United States. DaVita supports numerous programs dedicated to creating positive, sustainable change in communities around the world. The company's leadership development initiatives and social responsibility efforts have been recognized by Fortune, Modern Healthcare, Newsweek and WorldBlu. For more information, please visit DaVita.com.

Contact Information
Media:
David Gilles
(303) 876-7497
david.gilles@davita.com

SOURCE DaVita

SOURCE: DaVita