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Update: And it gets worse: KIDS!!!!
Announcement: On December 03, 2023 there will be a Walk in Denver, for details click here.
Kidney Dialysis could be the most egregious example of the misuse of concentrated corporate power with all its scandals and its ghastly numbers. However concentrated corporate power has been seen to negatively affect so many facets of our lives! From concentrated power in airlines choking off growth in smaller cities to pharmaceutical companies fueling the opioid crisis, these corporations large size and money (which has bought influence) have been near insurmountable to stop! There is example after example in this Suggested Reading List! It is time to stop corporate power abuse!
Why Participate?
We are offering an opportunity to strike back at some of the worst abuses of corporate power! And to help a vulnerable population that is unable to help itself! To strike back at a field of medicine that has taken away so many of our friends, mothers, fathers, grandmothers, grandfathers, etc... - and yes, even our children at an early age! And there is no reason for those without experience in dialysis to participate! This is a fight against monopolies, duopolies, etc... This is everybody's fight!!
How to Particpate!!! (choose one, choose all!) (9+ Ways!!!!)
1) Email Warren Buffett and Berkshire Hathaway at
"There are a lot of reasons DaVita should be broken up (the numbers, scandals), are there any reasons left indicating DaVita shouldn't be broken up into something like small care co-ops?" (example which could also be linked to: Email to Warren Buffett and Berkshire Hathaway - December 7th, 2023)
2) Email your federal representatives with the above question: (added July 2nd, 2023)
(example: what was written to Congressman Jason Crow)
3) Email FTC Chairperson Lina Khan at
4) Write to CNBC. They were asking for questions before the Warren Buffett event in Omaha NE on May 6th, 2023 and were written to (see DE Blog #7)
Though the Warren Buffett event is over for the year 2023, it would still seem a wonderful idea to try and get an answer to the above question - or tell CNBC what you have to say!
Three possible email addresses are:
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5) Write to the stock guru Jim Cramer. DialysisEthics Blog #8 provides an example of what has been sent to Mr. Cramer.
Jim Cramer's email address:
6) Ready to really get into it? M.I. Mother's Keeper from Washington D.C. is planning an event at the US Congress. The preliminary time for it is looking at December 2023 or January 2024. For more information and to sign up visit M.I. Mother's Keeper! If you are so inclined, you could get 10 people to sign up. And wouldn't it be great if those 10 people each got 10 people! etc... It could be an army descending on Washington!
7) Buy, read, and write a review for the book 'How to Make a Killing: Blood, Death, and Dollars in American Medicine'. This book is the first of it's kind this writer has seen solely about the problems in dialysis, but it can be said it provides a broader view of the worst concentrated corporate power can do! Just an example of everybody's problem - monopoly! Amazon reviews are always welcomed, but as of this writing the GoodReads reviews seem to be lagging. It is strongly suspected corporate shills have been having an effect. So if you could write reviews for both that would be great!
8) Subscribe to the MMAD Studio YouTube channel, a part of the Washington D.C. organization M.I. Mother's Keeper. Subscribe to the SaveTheBillionairesOrNot Youtube channel and the Spotify SaveTheBillionairesOrNot Audio Podcast, both a part of DialysisEthics.org.
9) Sign a petition: 'Save the Billionaires (or not)' petition at Change.org. Not sure a break up of the huge dialysis company DaVita is called for? Then the Reading List mentioned might help you. It contains everything from a 'Quick 1 minute intro' to 5 suggested books.
10) Participate in the May 4th, 2024 'Save the Billionaires (or not)' Walk in Omaha Nebraska. Coincides with the Berkshire Hathaway event with Warren Buffett and Charlie Munger. A calm and peace of mind were an unexpected side effect for this 2023 participant! For more about the May 2023 event and scouting mission there is DE Blog #11.
11) Become a Kidney Dialysis Advocate! Arlene Mullin is one of the people featured in Tom Mueller's book (see no. 6 above). She is a 25 year veteran who has saved the lives of countless kidney dialysis patients who, for one reason or another, were terminated from their clinics. She would get them placed back in their clinics, or another clinic - stopping a death sentence! She would love to work with dedicated, hard-working people to save lives!
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Introduction to the ‘Save the Billionaires (or not)’ Walk
My credentials, I helped head-up a group that got a bill through the Colorado statehouse for the certification of kidney dialysis techs in 2007 (renewed in 2012 and 2019)
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A more personal intro
Someone who is watching this (we communicate now and then - talk about sports and stuff)
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Details of the Walk
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Denver:
(Denver Walk Canceled until further notice)
SaveTheBillionairesOrNot Memorial Denver Walks - (look-backs of old Memorial Walks coming soon):
Starting When: Every first Friday of the month at 2pm (was on Sunday, Security Guard suggested in no uncertain terms to stop taping flyers to buildings)
Starting Address: Alfred A. Arraj Courthouse
901 19th St.
Denver, CO 80294
Ending: DaVita World HQ Towers
2001 16th St Mall
Denver CO 80202
Distance: 1.3 miles
Objective: Remembering of Dialysis Patients who have passed on etc..., leaving flyers at DaVita buildings
(!!!!Everyone is encouraged and welcome to come!!!!)
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HQ for 'Save the Billionaires (or not)' Walk updates+info - Omaha
(aka 'The DialysisEthics.org Kidney Dialysis Walk' - above linked article includes ways other than Walk to participate)
Omaha:
What: May 3rd, 2025 SaveTheBillionairesOrNot Walk
When: 10am Central Time (CT)
Meetup: Northeast corner of "Farnam St. & S 10th St., Omaha, NE" in Seating Area by the lagoon (just west of The Greenhouse Apartments 900 Farnam St., Omaha NE)
Destination: CHI Health Center, 455 N 10th St, Omaha, NE 68102 (0.4 miles away)
Objective:
1) Hand out flyers to the crowd coming and going to the CHI Health Center for Warren Buffett's 'Berkshire Hathaway Annual Shareholder Meeting'
2) Leave Billionaire Information Packet(s) inside the Omaha CHI Health Center (entry requires owning at least one share of Berkshire class B - symbol BRK.B, a copy of a brokerage statement will suffice)
Why: This might explain why!
May 6th, 2023 'Save the Billionaires (or not)' Walk in Omaha Nebraska Post-Walk update
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May 3rd, 2025 'Save the Billionaires (or not)' Omaha Walk is right around the corner!
Get ready now with a suggested reading list!
Reading List includes: (blue links clickable)
- Quick 1 minute start
- Intro article
- Billionaire Info Packet (give it to your favorite billionaire!)
- 5 suggested books
*check back for more updates!
(the below is great for putting on the windshield of a car!)
**************!!!Click for Printable Flyers!!!*************
(in Omaha NE PrintWithMe kiosks are highly recommended)
2025 Planned Ending Location: CHI Health Center, 455 N 10th St, Omaha, NE 68102 - this coincides with the annual Munger-Buffett-Berkshire event!
**End Goal: Breakup of the kidney dialysis company DaVita**
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Myths and Facts About Organ Donation
Recently a bill was started in the Colorado statehouse to have automobile drivers become possible organ donors unless they opt-out. The bill was shelved due to "ethical" concerns. This incident very much highlights the need for more information for those who have concerns about this bill. So in an effort to enlighten, a list of myths and facts has been started about organ donation. (Click "read more" link below)
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(updated 2022)
Being a living kidney donor now for 20+ years (2022) I thought it would be appropriate to start with the following info about finding a living donor. Also included is information about home dialysis, reuse, and other commentary.
Find a Living Donor!
Harvey Mysel established the LKDN after recognizing the need for better resources while pursuing a successful living kidney transplant in 2006:
Hear what he has to say at this Dialysis Advocates' blogtalk radio broadcast:
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There are many good people in this world looking to help others. Karol Franks from Living Donors Online and I Hate Dialysis was kind enough to share information she gathered after spending time working to find help for her daughter:
Thanks to Karol Franks and Renal Support Network!
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In 2004 Steve Farber, coauthor of "On the List", accepted the gift of a life-saving kidney from his eldest son Gregg. The experience inspired Steve to give back and found the organization American Transplant Foundation. At last count, the organization has saved 1,417 lives and provided $832,000 in direct patient and family support nationwide!
Living Donation Guide (contains links to 'Finding a Living Donor' and 'Potential Living Donor Database')
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2017 article from Vox
Talks about one man's experience as a kidney donor and mentions ways to become a donor through The National Kidney Registry, Waitlist Zero, and Alliance for Paired Kidney Donation:
Why I gave my kidney to a stranger — and why you should consider doing it too
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Myths and Facts about Organ Donation
At the time this is being wrote, there are almost 90,000 people waiting for a kidney transplant. As if there aren't enough medical barriers to kidney donation, there also exists a lot of myths that are just plain wrong! The article linked to attempts to dispel much of this misinformation:
Myth and Facts about Organ Donation article
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Home Dialysis
Before donating a kidney to my daughter in 2000 I was inspired by one of my mentors, Dr. Kenneth Bays, to look into home dialysis if donating a kidney wasn't going to work out. Years ago I stumbled on a website that I found not only having great information on home dialysis, but also having great technical info on dialysis in general! Here in 2022 I still haven't changed my mind:
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State Inspections and Lawsuits
State inspections are done on kidney dialysis facilities and can be obtained from a state's health department. We have decided to post these inspection reports for the following reasons:
- in order to aid those dealing with kidney disease in educating themselves with what can go wrong in a dialysis facility.
- It can also help those in a facility that has been inspected to see what is going on behind the scenes.
- To aid clinics in delivering better care and understanding what inspection teams look for
Also on this website are public reports which include lawsuits which are meant to enlighten readers about about what goes on behind the scenes in this field of medicine:
click_for_state_inspection_reports_and_lawsuits
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Dialyzer Reuse studies
(concerns about reuse)
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Commentary
Our Dialysis Policies Are Disastrous
