Chef who fought kidney disease by changing his diet will keynote Northwest Kidney Centers’ Breakfast of Hope May 10

Chef Duane Sunwold changed his diet
to treat his kidney disease

Chef Duane Sunwold, who changed his diet to save his kidneys, will deliver the keynote address at Northwest Kidney Centers’ 16th annual Breakfast of Hope fundraising event on Thursday May 10, 2018. 

The event will raise money to support nutrition services for dialysis patients, nutrition education for the public, and charity care. The breakfast runs from 7:30 to 8:45am at the Westin Seattle, 1900 Fifth Ave. 

Sunwold, a culinary arts instructor at the Inland Northwest Culinary Academy at Spokane Community College, changed his diet after he was diagnosed with kidney disease in 2000.

Under the guidance of his medical team, he cut animal protein from his diet and boosted his intake of fresh produce. At the time, he was 75 pounds overweight and felt lethargic after teaching all week.

“Within two weeks I started feeling better,” he said. “I was absolutely amazed that diet could cause such a change in someone’s life. The drugs I had been on could never make me feel this good.”

Since then he has been creating and sharing appetizing dishes that are kidney-friendly. His recipes can be found on the National Kidney Foundation and Journal of Renal Nutrition websites, among others.

After several years on his new diet Sunwold had lowered his blood pressure, improved his kidney function and ultimately was able to stop taking medications.

He’ll bring a message of tasty nutrition to Northwest Kidney Centers’ fundraising breakfast, where guests’ meals will be in keeping with the theme.

“Everyone should eat a more kidney-friendly diet, and there are simple ways to do that. Start by eating more fruits and vegetables,” he said. “If we don’t change our eating patterns we will continue to become a very unhealthy population.”

Master of ceremonies for the breakfast will be award-winning television journalist Enrique Cerna.

The event is free to attend thanks to underwriting from sponsors, and a $150 donation is requested. Register online or call 206-720-8585.

Money raised at the event will help Northwest Kidney Centers continue to offer nutrition services to its dialysis patients and people in the community. By teaching classes and providing guidance about nutrition and fitness, Northwest Kidney Centers helps people eat well and live well.

As Sunwold’s experience shows, diet and lifestyle changes can slow the progression of kidney disease, enabling some people to avoid or delay kidney failure and the need for dialysis treatments that Northwest Kidney Centers provides.

Did you know:

• About 15 percent of adult Americans are estimated to have chronic kidney disease. Because the disease is without symptoms, many don’t know until the damage becomes severe.
• Kidney damage can be slowed with better nutrition, exercise and medication.
• Philanthropy helps Northwest Kidney Centers educate the public, support kidney research, promote transplantation and provide charity care.
• Almost half of Northwest Kidney Centers’ patients live in poverty. Charitable gifts help patients whose insurance does not fully cover costs associated with kidney disease. 

Northwest Kidney Centers is a regional, nonprofit provider of kidney dialysis, public health education, and research into the causes and treatments of chronic kidney disease. Founded in Seattle in 1962, it was the world’s first dialysis organization. Now ranked as the 8th largest dialysis provider in the United States, it is known for high quality services, deep community connections and generous donor support.

Northwest Kidney Centers has an outpatient dialysis clinic in Lake Forest Park at the Southern Gateway, 14524 Bothell Way NE, Lake Forest Park.