GoodSearch for CKD research

[Bill Peckham]

I want you to support me. I want you to support yourself. I want you to support chronic kidney disease (CKD) research. How you are asking? I’m asking you to use a new search engine called goodsearch.com http://www.goodsearch.com/ If you select the Northwest Kidney Centers as who you “GoodSearch for” NKC will use the money raised for CKD research.

Follow these easy steps:
· Log on to www.goodsearch.com
· Type "Northwest Kidney Centers" into the "Who do you GoodSearch for?" box
· Hit "Verify"
· Then, search the internet!

I’m coming out of the closet in this post. I am ready to announce that I am pro CKD research. I believe that we need research independent of the renal industrial complex. We need CKD research that finds solutions to fundamental problems.

I think Seattle is where this research should take place and I think the Northwest Kidney Centers (NKC) is who should lead this effort. The NKC mission is to promote the optimal health, quality of life and independence of people with kidney disease, through patient care, education, and research. I applaud NKC for their vision that optimal CKD care is a combination of care, education and research.

It is like a tricycle. The big wheel in front – providing the power and steering – is direct dialyzor care. The two back wheels – education and research – are what gives the effort stability. This has worked for a long time, for Forty Five years to be exact. The Northwest Kidney Centers is forty five years old this month (happy birthday NKC!) and we are rightly proud of the forty five years of service to the Northwest and the world. However, it is time for a dedicated research effort. To extend the metaphor it’s time NKC grew up and switched to a bicycle of patient care driven by education/knowledge.

In this, its forty-fifth year of operation, I hope this is the birthday present NKC gives all of us – this year I am hoping NKC will spin off one its “tires” to launch a dedicated CKD research effort. A research effort who's mission is to promote the optimal health, quality of life and independence of people with kidney disease through research. A CKD research effort that would access National Institute of Health (NIH) funds that are available but because of the lack of CKD research infrastructure they sit unused. We need to build the infrastructure that will allow us to direct NIH research funds to the problems associated with CKD.

So what can we do? What can you do? Vote yes. Tell NKC that this is what we need, what we dialyzors want. You can do this by using goodsearch.com . Each time you search you raise a penny for CKD research but more importantly you will communicate to the NKC community that you too believe we need CKD research too and that you would like NKC to lead an effort to create a dedicated non-profit CKD research effort. A research effort independent of the renal industrial complex.

I have been part of a NKC CKD research task force for over four years. I support the effort; now is the time I need you to show your support. The penny per search will help but even more import will be the apparent votes of confidence. Vote for NKC, vote for CKD research: select NKC to be who you GoodSearch for!

I will continue to post to this thread about why CKD research is important to me (hint: it’s about Hope), why Seattle is the place to do it (We did it before, we can do it again) and how we are doing in making this a reality (Pretty good but I need your help). This can happen, it will make a difference and you can be a part of it.

Hope is a click away.

[Bill Peckham]

In the spirit of full disclosure (since I haven't finished my intro) I am a Trustee of the Northwest Kidney Centers Foundation. There may be people who like asking for money but I am not one of those people. However, I am working on overcoming this reluctance - last year I personally raised over $50,000 for Northwest Kidney Centers dialyzors. Mostly through my idea of a Kidney Expo through attendance underwriting.

Research isn't just for NKC dialyzors, this is something that I hope will improve the lives of everyone with CKD. Independent dialyzor focused research should pay big dividends and I think it is something that can be done here in Seattle.

I like this idea because it doesn't cost my fellow dialyzors money but it is a way for you to show support. I can tell you that these sort of votes of support go a long way. Most of the donors NKC will approach to fund this research are urinators but if we can show the support of those on dialysis it will make my pitch easier. Believe me asking for money is hard enough, if it was a bit easier that would be great.

[jester]

Fantastic Bill I applauad your comitment to a worthwhile cause... off to GoodSearch

Richard  C/O  Jessie

[angieskidney]

I have used it since reading this but didn't thank you for posting it! Thanks! 

[Bill Peckham]

If you tried goodsearch but were frustrated by how slow it was give it another chance. They have improved the user interface and it is now quicker.

The Northwest Kidney Centers has teamed with the University of Washington to build the Seattle Kidney Research Institute. The University of Washington is one of the largest medical research organizations in the world and one of the top recipients of National Institute of Health research funding. This partnership is a great way to stretch dollars and make a large impact quickly.

I have personally pledge my meager (about 15K) stock holding to the effort and was joined in launching the Seattle Kidney Research Institute by the other members of the Northwest Kidney Centers Research Task Force. It was the Task Force's job to evaluate the various research models and we are excited by the NKC/UW partnership. This will allow us to use the existing research infrastructure at the UW and focus NIH funding on the issues of concern to us and others with kidney disease.

Currently Goodsearch is bringing in about 20 cents a day which is not much of a vote of confidence. I think we can do better - with the new interface it should be easier for us all to vote for kidney research by goodsearching for the Northwest Kidney Centers.

Follow these easy steps:
Log on to www.goodsearch.com
Type "Northwest Kidney Centers" into the "Who do you GoodSearch for?" box
Hit "Verify"
Then, search the internet!

You can also do what I have done - download the goodsearch plug in for your web browser. This makes goodsearch easy, try it out. Or you could make goodsearch your home page as I have.

[Sluff]

Don't forget about www.kidneyoogle.com  it is a part of the IHD family of sites.

[Bill Peckham]

Thank you everyone that is goodsearching for CKD research and the Seattle Kidney Research Institute. Previously it had been going along at about 10 searches a day but now it is up to about 30 searches a day. This is very helpful. I have installed the goodsearch toolbar/plugin on a few computers for people but it is very easy if you're interested. You just go here: http://www.goodsearch.com/Toolbars.aspx and select your browser and you can then make goodsearch your default search engine. As the default search engine it will automatically search for a highlighted word if you right click the word and select the search option.

The international search for a director is continuing - I hear the search committee is making good progress. Once the director is selected the real work will begin. One day I hope we'll be able to point to hundreds of people a day goodsearching for kidney research. Of course a couple bucks a day will help but more than that a big number will indicate to donors the level of support in the community. Few of us are in a position to make large donations to support research but by committing to goodsearch we show those who can make large donations that we think kidney research independent of the large for profit renal companies is necessary and has the support of those at the sharp end of the needle.