DENVER, Jul 12, 2011 (BUSINESS WIRE) --

DaVita Inc. (NYSE: DVA), a leading provider of kidney care services for those diagnosed with end stage renal disease (ESRD) and chronic kidney disease (CKD), announced it will host a 5K fun run/walk on August 6 in Denver's City Park. The event, called the DaVita Kidney Rock, is free to all registered participants and will feature the Kidney Health Expo, games and prizes at the Kid Zone, refreshments, and a special performance by the DaVita Blues All Stars Band.

"The DaVita Kidney Rock is a celebration for a great cause: raising awareness for a disease that affects one out of every six adults in America, most of whom don't even know it," said Kent Thiry, chairman and CEO of DaVita. "One of our core values is fun and everything we're doing is designed to create a fun, distinctively different atmosphere from what one might expect from a kidney health event."

Beginning at 8:00 a.m., kidney disease screening, sponsored by ASD Healthcare, will be performed at no cost by The Kidney TRUST, a nonprofit whose mission is to increase awareness of kidney disease through public education. All fundraising proceeds will benefit Bridge of Life - DaVita Medical Missions, a nonprofit organization founded by DaVita which helps open dialysis centers in developing countries and brings hope, treatment, education and lasting change by teaching local medical teams how to care for CKD patients.

On Saturday night, DaVita will also host a block party on Glenarm Place to thank sponsors who made the Kidney Rock possible and recognize outstanding DaVita teammates (employees). The celebration will feature music by the DaVita Blues All Stars, food and beverages, and a silent auction with over 100 items to raise additional funds for Bridge of Life.

DaVitaemployees from across the United States will join Denver area residents to walk, run, ride, volunteer, and raise awareness and funds to fight kidney disease.

Advance online registration for the DaVita Kidney Rock Walk is open to the public and free of charge. After registering online at www.davitakidneyrock.org, each participant of the DaVita Kidney Rock will receive a personal fundraising page, with incentives offered beginning at the $100 level.

Over 31 million Americans are affected by CKD, most of whom are unaware they are affected by the disease. High-risk groups include African-Americans, Hispanics, Pacific Islanders, Native Americans and seniors (those 60 and over). Primary risk factors include diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular disease or a family history of these conditions.

DaVita is a registered trademark of DaVita Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

About DaVita

DaVita Inc., a Fortune 500(R) company, is a leading provider of kidney care in the United States, delivering dialysis services and education to patients with chronic kidney failure and end stage renal disease. As of March 31, 2011, DaVita operated or provided administrative services at 1,642 dialysis facilities, serving approximately 128,000 patients. DaVita develops, participates in and donates to numerous programs dedicated to transforming communities and creating positive, sustainable change for children, families and our environment. The company's leadership development initiatives and corporate social responsibility efforts have been recognized by Fortune, Modern Healthcare,Newsweek and WorldBlu, among others. For more information, please visit www.davita.com.

SOURCE: DaVita Inc.

DaVita Inc.
Mollie O'Brien, 303-405-2297
Cell: 317-502-7962
Mollie.Obrien@davita.com