Published December 20, 2022 | At the ACN Awards, the PKD Foundation honors Members of Congress and Advocacy Champions who went above and beyond in 2022. These awardees were dedicated to raising awareness for our community and supporting policies to improve the treatment, care, and quality of life of all impacted by PKD.
Congressional Champions of the Year
Left, Congresswoman Sharice Davids (D-KS-03). Right, Congressman Jim Costa (D-CA-16)
The Foundation is proud to recognize Congresswoman Sharice Davids (D-KS-03) and Congressman Jim Costa (D-CA-16) as our 2022 Congressional Champions of the Year!
Hailing from the Kansas City metro, Congresswoman Sharice Davids represents some of the nation’s leading PKD researchers at the Kansas University Medical Center. Rep. Davids took time to connect with some of these researchers and PKD community members earlier this year when the RideForPKD stopped in Shawnee, Kansas during Glenn Frommer’s cross-country ride.
Congressman Jim Costa serves as chair of the Congressional Organ and Tissue Donation and Transplant Awareness Caucus and is a staunch supporter of the kidney care and transplant community.
Additionally, Reps. Davids and Costa are cosponsors of the Living Donor Protection Act (LDPA), a longstanding legislative priority of the Foundation.
ACN Champions of the Year
Left, Lainie Esquivel. Right, Devan Woody.
We’re proud to recognize Lainie Esquivel of Clovis, California, and Devan Woody of Burnsville, North Carolina, as the Foundation’s 2022 ACN Champions of the Year!
Lainie Esquivel, a first year Champion, worked to schedule and attend meetings with several of her elected officials, as well as other policymakers who represent her family members. Additionally, Lainie authored an op-ed published in her hometown newspaper, The Fresno Bee. The op-ed highlighted her family’s experiences with PKD and encouraging support of the LDPA.
Devan Woody, also in his first year with the ACN, served as a state leader for North Carolina during the Virtual Advocacy Day 2022. He effectively organized and led his group in meetings with Congressional staff. In order to share his experiences, Devan also authored an op-ed in his local newspaper, The Ashville Citizen-Times. In the article, he shared how his experiences as a PKD patient, hemodialysis provider, and aspiring medical professional informed his support of the LDPA.
Thank you both for dedicating your time and energy to advocating on behalf of PKD patients, families, and researchers across the country!
As we look to 2023, we’re looking excited to continuing working with all PKD policymakers and advocates. Together, we’ll ensure that Congress and federal agencies are aware of, and serve, the needs of the PKD community.
Ready to become a PKD advocate?
To learn more about PKD and kidney care legislation and how you can join in the PKDF’s advocacy efforts, visit the advocacy section of our website. And by signing up for our Advocacy Alerts, you’ll know when action is needed.
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