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RIDE WITH KENNY
Transportation plays a vital role in access to critical healthcare.
Regular dialysis treatments are not just appointments, they are a lifeline for individuals with chronic kidney disease or failure.
Ride With Kenny
In Louisiana, more than 460,000 citizens are living with chronic kidney disease, and over 16,000 rely on dialysis to survive. Without regular access to these critical treatments, the health of this vulnerable population is severely jeopardized. Reliable transportation plays a vital role in ensuring that individuals can obtain the medical care they need. Addressing transportation barriers is not just about providing access to healthcare—it’s about advancing health equity, ensuring that every person, regardless of socioeconomic status, can receive lifesaving treatment.
To tackle this challenge, the Kerry & Melinda Kirby Foundation is partnering with the National Kidney Foundation of Louisiana to expand their existing program, improving access to essential healthcare services. Supported by a multi-year grant from the Kerry & Melinda Kirby Foundation, this initiative will provide kidney patients throughout Louisiana with efficient and convenient transportation to and from their lifesaving dialysis treatments. To achieve this, the foundation has teamed up with Uber Health to offer reliable, HIPAA-compliant transportation, ensuring patients receive the care they need.
The “Ride with Kenny” initiative honors one of the first dialysis patients in Louisiana, Kenneth Fredrick Kirby, known to his family and friends as Kenny. He was a beloved son, devoted husband, and loving father to Kerry W. Kirby and Karen Kirby Lasseigne. Kenny served in the United States Army and, upon returning from active duty, joined the Louisiana State Police, where he worked in law enforcement with integrity, pride, and dedication to protecting others. Unfortunately, after enduring many years of chronic kidney disease, he ultimately developed end-stage renal disease and required dialysis. The toll of his illness led to his passing at the young age of 33.
Today, Kenny’s memory lives on in more than just spirit; it thrives through organizations such as the Kerry & Melinda Kirby Foundation, National Kidney Foundation of Louisiana, and Uber Health, who are executing upon his commitment to help others. Kenny’s legacy continues to impact lives by ensuring that those who require medical attention, but lack reliable transportation, are connected to the care they need most. Through the Ride with Kenny initiative, his passion to serve and protect others remains alive, reaching countless individuals and making a profound difference in their well-being.
For program information, contact Tracey Eldridge at 504.861.4500 or tracey@kidneyla.org
Program Team
