March was National Kidney Month, and April is Donate Life Month. Social workers work in the field of nephrology, for example in dialysis units and transplant units. Later this month, some of these social workers will receive recognition for the important work they do.
The National Kidney Foundation’s Council of Nephrology Social Workers (NKF-CNSW) will recognize outstanding professionals who are advancing the field of nephrology social work at the NKF’s Spring Clinical Meetings, to be held in Las Vegas on April 23.
Stephanie Johnstone, LCSW, will receive the Robert W. Whitlock Lifetime Achievement Award. Johnstone, of San Diego, CA, has been the Regional Lead Social Worker at Fresenius Medical Care North America (FMCNA) since October 1983. She is active with NKF-CNSW, serving on the editorial board of the Journal of Nephrology Social Work (JNSW), and as Chair of the San Diego CNSW Chapter. She is the co-developer of the NKF-CNSW "Outcomes Training Program," and has been honored twice nationally by CNSW for outstanding achievements.
Also being honored at this year’s Spring Clinical Meetings:
- Melissa Fry, MSW, CAPSW, NSW-C, of Mauston, WI; will receive the Merit Award. She is being recognized for her work with the CNSW Wisconsin Chapter, serving as its Chair from 2008 to 2012. She has also been involved in planning professional education programs for both the NKF Spring Clinical Meetings and the NKF of Wisconsin Fall Symposium.
- Temima Danzig, MSW, LSW, of Teaneck, NJ; and Ola Labisi, LCSW, of Long Beach, CA; will both receive the New Worker Award. The honor goes to exemplary social workers who have made their mark on the field within their first two years of practice.
- Anita Kahan, MSW, LSW, FMC-NA, of Paramus, NJ; and Babitha Ramakrishna, LCSW, NSW-C, of Los Angeles, CA; will both receive Regional Social Worker Awards for valuable contributions made specifically in their local areas.
The National Kidney Foundation Spring Clinical Meetings take place April 22-26, 2014, at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. For more information, visit www.nkfclinicalmeetings.org.
The National Kidney Foundation is the leading organization in the U.S. dedicated to the awareness, prevention, and treatment of kidney disease for hundreds of thousands of healthcare professionals, millions of patients and their families, and tens of millions of Americans at risk. For more information, visit www.kidney.org.