(EXPERIENCE MAGAZINE) — Los Angeles, CA — December 21, 2023 — CORE Kidney, a patient support and advocacy group that helps kidney disease patients navigate their complex journey, today announces that Amgen has signed on as the official lead sponsor for CORE Kidney’s specially designed kidney-shape float at the 2024 Rose Parade — which will honor living kidney donors and spread awareness for kidney health screening.
“We are very privileged to bring Amgen on board to support the CORE Kidney float,” said Dr Rick Zumwalt, Ph,D Neuropsychologist and CORE Rose Parade Committee Chairperson. “Amgen is one of the most respected and established enterprises when it comes to biotechnology and human therapeutics. Having Amgen as a sponsor is not only going to help us bring this float to life, it’ll also inspire our amazing community of patients and donors we’ve brought together by reminding them that their bravery is being recognized on the highest level. We are eternally grateful for Amgen and our other gracious sponsors who have contributed sizable donations to support our work so we can continue to deliver resources for those patients struggling with this deadly disease every day.”
CORE Kidney’s float will reserve seats on the float for its top sponsors.
- Amgen
- DaVita
- Travere Therapeutics
Joining the sponsors on the float will also be the living kidney donors who are being honored for their selfless act of gifting a part of themselves to save a kidney disease patient.
CORE Kidney’s float, which was constructed by Phoenix Builders, will center around the theme, “The Gift of Life: A Tune That Never Fades.” The kidney-shaped float will seat living donors and kidney health champions in a beautiful colorful garden as they swing from the tree of life. For more information about CORE Kidney and how to support the float or become a sponsor, visit https://corekidneyfoundation.org and by texting text “buyarose” to 41444. You can also provide a direct donation through this link. In addition to the Rose Parade 2023 Float, CORE Kidney is announcing 2024 as Kidney Health Awareness Year.
Amgen is committed to unlocking the potential of biology for patients suffering from serious illnesses by discovering, developing, manufacturing and delivering innovative human therapeutics. This approach begins by using tools like advanced human genetics to unravel the complexities of disease and understand the fundamentals of human biology.
Amgen focuses on areas of high unmet medical need and leverages its expertise to strive for solutions that improve health outcomes and dramatically improve people’s lives. A biotechnology pioneer since 1980, Amgen has grown to be one of the world’s leading independent biotechnology companies, has reached millions of patients around the world and is developing a pipeline of medicines with breakaway potential.
Amgen is one of the 30 companies that comprise the Dow Jones Industrial Average and is also part of the Nasdaq-100 index. In 2023, Amgen was named one of “America’s Greatest Workplaces” by Newsweek, one of “America’s Climate Leaders” by USA Today and one of the “World’s Best Companies” by TIME.
For more information, visit Amgen.com and follow us on X (formerly known as Twitter), LinkedIn, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and Threads.
CORE Kidney is a patient support and advocacy group and a lifeline for kidney health awareness. For patients battling kidney disease, from early symptoms to late-stage conditions, CORE Kidney is dedicated to providing guidance to healing with comprehensive, integrated, and person-centered care for those suffering from this deadly disease. On a global scale, the organization aims to open the world’s eyes to the prevalence and gravity of kidney ailments — while bringing recognition to the global community of brave patients facing this battle. Founded by a group of kidney patients, living kidney donors and their caregivers, who are devoted to serving those who walk the same path, CORE Kidney is on a mission to eradicate kidney disease by ensuring all patients get the care they need from the moment they suspect an issue through every step of the journey. CORE stands for the organization’s core principles that serve as the guiding light in its mission: clinical excellence, outreach, research, and education. Through the organization’s continued dedication to these core principles, CORE Kidney is devoted to raising the bar with various events, programs and services that directly benefit patients, living donors, families and treating professionals. CORE Kidney has cultivated a devoted community of passionate voices who empower patients to advocate for their own health and build a future where all those suffering can heal as one. This year’s main event for CORE Kidney is “The Gift of Life” float in the Rose Parade. In line with CORE Kidney’s philosophy, this float represents the global focus of CORE in honoring living kidney donors and a call to action for kidney health screening.
This is an incredible story from Mary Beth Barry who received a kidney from a 29 year old NFL player named Konrad Reuland. Mary Beth’s journey took an unforeseen turn when kidney disease entered her life at the age of 65, which eventually would lead to her becoming a vital force within the CORE Kidney family.
With a career spanning four decades in education. Mary Beth left a magical mark on her students. Her commitment extended beyond textbooks and classrooms, with St. Patrick’s Day becoming a cherished memory for her former students, thanks to her spirited tradition of dressing up as a leprechaun.
At the tail end of her 40-year long journey in education, Mary Beth’s battle with kidney disease began as an unanticipated adversary. Diagnosed in her mid-60s with no underlying precursors, she found herself on the precipice of a life-altering journey. Her diagnosis came as a shocking blow, considering there was no clear-cut cause to her condition – no genetic markers, no cancer, no diabetes, and no high blood pressure. Her healthy lifestyle and regular exercise did little to shield her from the silent onset of kidney disease – serving as a stern reminder that this deadly disease can afflict anyone at any time. Shortly after she had come to terms with her illness, she met Dr. Rastogi in May of 2012 after being referred by a parent within her school community. Mary Beth was impressed to meet a physician whose compassion and dedication set him apart from others. Her first impression of Dr. Rastogi’s unflinching generosity was as a spectator to his selfless act of personally driving a patient home and making him coffee – illustrating his extraordinary commitment to go out of his way to make his patients feel supported. This encounter marked the beginning of a profound relationship that would guide Mary Beth through the complexities of kidney disease.
Embracing home dialysis for four and a half years, Mary Beth became all-too-familiar with the challenges faced by kidney patients. Her involvement with Dr. Rastogi’s Santa Monica kidney fair opened her eyes to a community where shared invaluable experiences and forged lifelong connections. The warmth of belonging to a larger network became a source of solace in her kidney disease journey.
Navigating the intricacies of the transplant process, Mary Beth faced the daunting reality of being a difficult match. As discouragement threatened to overshadow hope, a twist of fate brought the news that would change her life. On December 15, 2016, a call from UCLA heralded the availability of a deceased donor’s kidney. belonging to a 29-year-old NFL player, Konrad Reuland, who played for the San Francisco 49ers, New York Jets, Baltimore Ravens, and the Indianapolis Colts during a five-year professional career before tragically dying from a brain aneurysm on December 12th, 2016.
Check out the CORE Kidney float at this year’s 2024 Rose Parade!
