DENVER, Sep 16, 2010 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- DaVita Inc. (NYSE: DVA), a leading provider of kidney care services for those diagnosed with chronic kidney disease (CKD), will join more than 400 teammates (employees), family members and friends from around the country in Tacoma, Wash., this weekend to kick off the fourth annual Tour DaVita® - a three-day, 240-mile bike ride to raise awareness and funds for the fight against kidney disease.

CKD affects approximately 31 million American adults and 90 percent are 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.

To participate in Tour DaVita, riders raised a minimum of $750 to $2,000 in donations each and paid their own travel expenses. Their individual fundraising combined with donations from DaVita® and other corporate sponsorship is expected to contribute more than $700,000 to The Kidney TRUST(TM), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization with the mission to reduce the human and economic cost of chronic kidney disease across the United States.

By the end of the 2010 ride, more than 1,200 DaVita teammates, physicians, family members and friends will have participated in the four Tours DaVita - riding more than 250,000 miles collectively and raising more than $2.3 million.

"The League of American Bicyclists calls Washington the '#1 Most Bicycle-Friendly State,' which makes it a great fit for the more than 400 cyclists who will be riding in Tour DaVita," said DaVita Chairman and CEO Kent Thiry, who will also be participating in the ride. "Many DaVita teammates, families and friends trained hard for this event, which has grown every year because of their unwavering dedication to the fight against kidney disease."

Since 2007 The Kidney TRUST has administered more than 13,000 kidney screenings as part of its CKD rapid-testing program and made more than 700 individual grants totaling $1.5 million to help people on dialysis manage medical costs.

"Chronic kidney disease is a largely unknown but unquestionably deadly epidemic in the United States," said Annette Eros, president and CEO of The Kidney TRUST. "This ride creates a terrific opportunity for people to get involved and make a difference while showcasing a healthy lifestyle and simultaneously spotlighting the need for CKD education and testing."

For more information about the fourth annual Tour DaVita, please visit www.tourdavita.org. For more information about The Kidney TRUST, visit http://www.kidneytrust.org.

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

About The Kidney TRUST

Founded in 2006, the Kidney TRUST is a non-profit organization dedicated to reducing the human and economic cost of kidney disease. The Kidney TRUST is focused on increasing awareness of chronic kidney disease (CKD) through public education and testing programs so that progression of CKD to kidney failure can be delayed or prevented. The Kidney TRUST is also developing innovative solutions to address the critical unmet needs of people with CKD. Visit http://www.kidneytrust.org for more information.

About DaVita Inc.

DaVita Inc., a Fortune 500® 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 June 30, 2010, DaVita operated or provided administrative services at 1,582 outpatient dialysis facilities, serving approximately 122,000 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 visitwww.davita.com.

SOURCE: DaVita Inc.

DaVita Inc.
Vince Hancock, 303-405-2272
vince.hancock@davita.com