To commemorate National Kidney Disease Awareness Day on Thursday, March 11, Moriah teacher and eighth grade parent, Laura Kudowitz spoke to eighth graders about her experience both as the mother of a child with kidney disease and as a kidney donor. The eighth graders, many of them dressed in green in honor of the occasion, sat in rapt attention as Kudowitz explained the function of the kidneys in the body and described what happens when the kidneys fail to work properly. She spoke of Renewal, an organization that helps find kidney donors for needy recipients, and described the miraculous transformation of her son from a sick little boy to a healthy 7-year-old with newfound energy and a ravenous appetite once he received his new kidney. Later in the day the eighth graders got together to pack activity bags for children to use during their lengthy nephrology medical consultations. Moriah would like to thank the Kudowitz family for donating the items for the bags which included activity pages, stickers and crayons.

Eighth grader Lily Kudowitz spearheaded the day’s program in honor of her mom and her brother, Paul, and was supported by her classmates who have witnessed the family’s challenges throughout their Moriah years. The students learned so much about kidney disease and the toll it takes on the people who have it as well as on their families. The students were all so grateful for the opportunity to show the Kudowitz family how much they love and support them.