Team pictures were taken, as well as individual pictures of each team member. Fundraising efforts are beginning now for the 2002 event. The program provides last resort financial assistance to needy kidney dialysis patients and transplant recipients by reimbursing them for expenses related to prescription medications, medical and dental services, transportation, nutritional supplements, prescribed medical equipment, and Medicare premiums. The funds for this program, allocated annually by the state legislature, can only be used when no other source of payment is available. The program is administered by the NKFO at no cost to the fund.
Every penny allocated to the program goes to assist patients.
We helped several people get on the kidney transplant list by taking care of their critical dental needs. And we are going to do even more with this year's allocation. Other tribes who have expressed an interest in having a KEEP screening are the Choctaw, Chickasaw, Osage, Cherokee and Seminole tribes as well as the Wewoka Indian Clinic. The conference included a panel discussion dealing with issues of dialysis and transplants. Winning by a slim margin, and California bound, is the team of David Zuech, Carl Newton, Troy Rasp and Brian Shewey.