DENVER, May 16, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- DaVita Kidney Care, a division of DaVita Inc. (NYSE: DVA), and a leading provider of kidney care services in the United States, today celebrates its teammates (employees) who volunteered with Bridge of Life (BOL), a nonprofit organization founded by DaVita Inc., and the Syrian American Medical Society (SAMS) last month to screen Syrian refugees in Irbid, Jordan for hypertension, diabetes and kidney disease and provide health education.

"Funding ongoing dialysis treatments for refugees has been difficult for aid organizations," said Katie Chandler, BOL's program director. "We wanted to better understand the prevalence of kidney disease among Syrian refugees, identify possible root causes and provide education to hopefully fill the gap between the health needs of this vulnerable population and the health care services available."

This medical mission offered refugees the opportunity for early detection and proactive steps they can take to control kidney disease to help slow or prevent its progression. Individuals identified as being high-risk for kidney disease based on their test results received consultations with a nephrologist and were enrolled in a routine follow-up program for ongoing assistance.

Majd Isreb, SAMS mission leader and board member, said, "As a nephrologist who has been on many SAMS missions before, I've never felt more impactful than during this mission. We added an innovative component to this mission by including renal ultrasound to address some of the common causes of kidney disease that are common in the region."

In addition, volunteers had the opportunity to listen to individuals not only share the daily struggles they encounter as refugees but also hear their stories of determination and resilience.

"Many heard about the Syrian crisis in the media, hurried to send donations or just prayed," said Maryam Ashtiani, dietitian, DaVita Kidney Care and BOL volunteer. "But many, like BOL and SAMS, pulled their sleeves up and organized a medical mission. I was fortunate and honored to be chosen for this amazing and life-changing opportunity."

BOL plans to return to this region and to continue to collaborate with both DaVita teammates and SAMS to provide additional screening and health care services for Syrian refugees.

To learn more about BOL and their global medical missions, visit BridgeofLifeInternational.org.

About Bridge of Life
Bridge of Life (BOL), an independent 501(c)(3) public charity founded by DaVita Inc. is an international nonprofit organization working to strengthen healthcare globally through sustainable programs that prevent and treat chronic disease. Our vision is a world where all human beings have access to quality healthcare regardless of where they are born. We strive to empower local staff, community health workers and patients through training and education to make sustainable changes to healthcare. Since 2006, BOL has impacted over 110,000 lives through 155 international medical missions and 301 domestic screenings and events in 26 countries with the help of over 1,100 DaVita teammate volunteers. For more information, please visit BridgeofLifeInternational.org.

About DaVita Kidney Care
DaVita Kidney Care is a division of DaVita 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 dialysis services in the United States, DaVita Kidney Care treats patients with chronic kidney failure and end stage renal disease. DaVita Kidney Care 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 March 31, 2018, DaVita Kidney Care operated or provided administrative services at 2,539 outpatient dialysis centers located in the United States serving approximately 198,000 patients. The company also operated 241 outpatient dialysis centers located in 10 countries outside the United States. DaVita Kidney Care 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.

About Syrian American Medical Society
The Syrian American Medical Society (SAMS) is a global medical relief organization that is working on the front lines of crisis relief in Syria, neighboring countries and beyond to alleviate suffering and save lives. SAMS supports healthcare throughout Syria, sponsoring hospitals and ambulances, training and paying the salaries of Syrian medical personnel who are risking their lives to save others and sending lifesaving humanitarian aid and medical equipment where it is needed most. SAMS also supports Syrian refugees in neighboring countries and beyond with critical psychosocial support, medical and dental care, art therapy programs, and more. In 2017, SAMS provided more than 3.5 million medical services, including 3.2 million inside Syria. For more information, please visit SAMS-USA.net.

Contact:
Thalia Ramirez
thalia.ramirez@davita.com 
303-876-6018

SOURCE DaVita Kidney Care