Designating the first Wednesday in September 2013 as National Polycystic Kidney Disease Awareness Day and raising awareness and understanding of polycystic kidney disease.

Designating the first Wednesday in September 2013 as National Polycystic Kidney Disease Awareness Day Whereas National Polycystic Kidney Disease Awareness Day will raise public awareness and understanding of polycystic kidney disease, one of the most prevalent, life-threatening genetic kidney diseases; Whereas National Polycystic Kidney Disease Awareness Day will also foster understanding of the impact polycystic kidney disease has on patients and their families; Whereas polycystic kidney disease is a progressive, genetic disorder of the kidneys that causes damage to the kidneys and the cardiovascular, endocrine, hepatic, and gastrointestinal organ systems; Whereas polycystic kidney disease has a devastating impact on the health and finances of people of all ages, and equally affects people of all races, genders, nationalities, geographic locations, and income levels; Whereas, of the people diagnosed with polycystic kidney disease, approximately 10 percent have no family history of the disease, with the disease developing as a spontaneous (or new) mutation; Whereas there is no treatment or cure for polycystic kidney disease, which is one of the 4 leading causes of kidney failure in the United States; Whereas the vast majority of patients with polycystic kidney disease reach kidney failure at an average age of 53, causing a severe strain on dialysis and kidney transplantation resources and on the delivery of health care in the United States as the largest segment of the population of the United States, the baby boomers Whereas polycystic kidney disease instills in patients fear of an unknown future with a life-threatening genetic disease and apprehension over possible discrimination, including the risk of losing their health and life insurance, their jobs, and their chances for promotion; Whereas countless friends, loved ones, spouses, and caregivers must shoulder the physical, emotional, and financial burdens that polycystic kidney disease causes; Whereas the severity of the symptoms of polycystic kidney disease and the limited public awareness of the disease cause many patients to live in denial and forego regular visits to their physicians or avoid following good health management, which would help avoid more severe complications when kidney failure occurs; Whereas people who have chronic, life-threatening diseases like polycystic kidney disease have a predisposition to depression and its resultant consequences of 7 times the national average because of their anxiety over pain, suffering, and premature death; and Whereas the PKD Foundation and its more than 60 volunteer chapters around the United States are dedicated to conducting research to find treatments and a cure for polycystic kidney disease, fostering public awareness and understanding of the disease, educating patients and their families about the disease to improve their treatment and care, and providing support and encouraging people to become organ donors, including by sponsoring the annual Walk for PKD That the Senate (1) designates the first Wednesday in September 2013 as National Polycystic Kidney Disease Awareness Day (2) supports the goals and ideals of National Polycystic Kidney Disease Awareness Day to raise public awareness and understanding of polycystic kidney disease; (3) recognizes the need for additional research to find a cure for polycystic kidney disease; and (4) encourages all people in the United States and interested groups to support National Polycystic Kidney Awareness Day through appropriate ceremonies and activities to promote public awareness of polycystic kidney disease and to foster understanding of the impact of the disease on patients and their families.

Summary: Designates the first Wednesday in September 2013 as National Polycystic Kidney Disease Awareness Day. Expresses support for the goals and ideals of that Day to raise public awareness and understanding of polycystic kidney disease. Recognizes the need for additional research to find a cure.