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2023 Honorees

This years 2023 Kidney Ball honorees.

Jummy Olabanji

Arthur P. Pasquarella Leadership in Action Award

Jummy Olabanji, Anchor/Reporter for NBC4 Washington and NKF/NCA Board Member, first reached out to NKF more than a decade ago with a desire to get involved because a disease called polycystic kidney disease runs in her family. Since then, has been one of our most active volunteers in the National Capital Area. Jummy has co-hosted the Kidney Ball and the Congressional Awards Reception multiple times, done play by play at the Wizards Organ Donation Awareness Tournament, helped kick off the virtual Kidney Walk season nationwide, and hosted a Fireside Chat featuring award-winning actress Debbie Allen. For Kidney Month in March, Jummy and Chief Meteorologist Doug Kammerer rally the support of their colleagues in raising awareness by donning NKF orange kidney pins and sharing information about kidney disease on the air. No matter what the setting, Jummy continually amplifies the visibility, impact, and reach of the National Kidney Foundation. For these reasons we are delighted to present the National Capital Area Arthur P. Pasquarella Leadership in Action Award to Jummy Olabanji.

Jummy Olabanji

CareDx

Corporate Citizenship Award

CareDx, Inc. is a leading precision medicine solutions company focused on the discovery, development, and commercialization of clinically differentiated, high-value healthcare solutions for transplant patients and caregivers. For over twenty years CareDx has been focused on its mission of improving transplant patient outcomes by providing innovative and intelligent solutions throughout the entire patient journey. CareDx offers testing services, products, and digital healthcare solutions along the pre- and post-transplant patient journey and is the leading provider of genomics-based information for transplant patients. CareDx supports a wide range of programs that seek to improve public health, patient outcomes, equity, and sustainability. By working together, we believe that our collective resources and expertise have the potential to help pre- and post-transplant patients in greatest need. CareDx is proud to join forces with the National Kidney Foundation to advocate for optimal care for patients living with kidney disease

CareDX

Planet Fitness

Corporate Citizenship Award

Whether or not orange and purple complement each other on the color wheel, it’s been a winning combination in the National Capital Area! With similar organizational purposes, the National Kidney Foundation and Planet Fitness have forged a meaningful partnership that focuses on physical health, emotional health, and community well-being. Since 2019, Planet Fitness has supported the fight against kidney disease in the contributing $100,000 to NKF fundraising events in the National Capital Area, a region that has among the highest rates of kidney disease in the nation. Serving as our Presenting Sponsor of the National Capital Area Kidney Walk for the last three years, Planet Fitness has supported this event not only financially, but also by offering their charismatic trainers in Fitness Fridays on social media and warming up hundreds of participants on Walk Day. Their energy is unsurpassed. In 2021, Planet Fitness added the NKF Konica Minolta Golf Classic to the repertoire ensuring its continued success. With a shared commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion, NKF is honored to present Planet Fitness with its Corporate Citizenship Award.