Currently more than 26 million Americans are affected by chronic kidney disease (CKD). Among them, nine in ten do not realize it and are not aware of the potential consequences. DaVita Inc., a leading provider of kidney care services in the United States, is taking action to help combat this silent killer by creating much needed awareness and raising contributions. The fundraising, bike ride event, called Tour DaVita™, aims to increase awareness of chronic kidney disease as its participants cycle through several cities across the state of Wis. The ride will kick-off on September 15th in New London, Wis., and will cross the finish line four days later in the town of Algoma. Its goal is to raise funds in order to fight CKD. More than 230 DaVita® teammates (employees) will hop on their bikes and ride approximately 240 miles over the course of the four day tour. Funds raised by the bike ride will benefit The Kidney TRUST™, a non-profit organization aimed at prevention and awareness of CKD.

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DaVita CEO Kent Thiry will be participating in the ride with his teammates as the tour travels through Wis. A native of the state, Thiry said: "This is one of the most important events of the year for our community. It is our way to express our dedication and commitment to our patients through continued education and awareness. Our teammates have worked incredibly hard both training and fundraising for this cause, and I'm honored to be a part of it with them."

Initial stages of CKD rarely show symptoms and there is no cure for the disease. However, if it is caught early enough healthy therapies that can slow the disease's progress can be more effective. DaVita teammates participating in the ride intend to stress the importance of obtaining early testing to avoid advanced CKD, which may require dialysis treatment or a kidney transplant.

DaVita and Tour DaVita are trademarks or registered trademarks of DaVita Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

About The Kidney TRUST

The Kidney TRUST was founded in 2006 by DaVita Inc. The Kidney TRUST is an independent, non-profit organization that believes everyone should be empowered to take a proactive role in their health. Toward that end, the Kidney TRUST is seeking to reduce the advancement of chronic kidney disease (CKD) by broadly deploying cost-effective rapid-screening for CKD in non-medical settings, and providing financial assistance to people affected by CKD. For more information, visit http://www.kidneytrust.org/.

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 manages more than 1,300 outpatient facilities and acute units in more than 700 hospitals located in 43 states and the District of Columbia, serving approximately 107,000 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 http://www.davita.com/.

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SOURCE: DaVita Inc.