Representative Canavan recognized as "Outstanding Legislative Partner" by National Kidney Foundation
Dr. Kenneth Zoller, Representative Canavan and Dr. Allan Lauer
Recognized as "Outstanding Legislative Partner" by National Kidney Foundation
February 11, 2008 – State Representative Christine Canavan (D-Brockton), RN, BSN, was recently honored by the National Kidney Foundation of Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New Hampshire and Vermont with their Outstanding Legislative Partner Award. The award was presented at the National Kidney Foundation’s 2008 Gift of Life Awards Dinner where kidney donors and recipients, leaders in the medical profession, the business community, and volunteers were also recognized for their outstanding contributions to the kidney and organ donor community. “Representative Canavan’s dialysis background made her aware of the poor outcomes for patients whose early signs and symptoms of Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) went unrecognized, un-diagnosed and untreated. Since 2001, Christine has championed the NKF mission in the House of Representatives and successfully incorporated our ‘Renal Disease’ line item into the budget,” said Andrea Savisky, Director of Programs at the National Kidney Foundation (NKF). “She has educated her counterparts on the significant impact that under-diagnosed CKD has on the economy of the Commonwealth and endorsed the KEEP program, Nutritional Supplement Support Program, as well as CKD and Organ Donor Education. The Renal Disease line item began at $30,000 and with her tireless support has grown to $100, 000,” she added. “I am honored to receive a Gift of Life award from the Presenting the award to Representative Canavan is Andrea Savisky National Kidney Foundation,” said Representative Canavan. “As promised, I never forgot my dialysis colleagues, nor the clients that we served. I will continue to fight for the ‘small necessities’ that assist in the success of dialysis treatments.” Before being elected to the Massachusetts House of Representatives in 1992, Representative Canavan was a dialysis nurse and later the Director of Nursing at the Brockton Dialysis Center where she learned firsthand the importance of supporting programs that benefit individuals with renal disease. As a State Representative, Canavan has made it one of her priorities to support the work of the NKF and advocate for more funding and resources to help those with kidney disorders. In 1993, just after being elected, she championed a bill signed into law by then-Governor William Weld that set patient/staff ratio requirements for out of hospital dialysis units to ensure maximum patient safety. The Representative has also sponsored legislation to establish a state renal plan, and each year continues to secure budget funding for the NKF that is used to promote organ donor awareness, and provide nutritional supplements and early intervention services for those with and at risk of having renal disease.
Representative Canavan honored by the Brockton Dialysis Center May 19, 2006
Christine E. Canavan, RN, BSN, was one of the honorees at a celebration commemorating the 25th anniversary of the Brockton Dialysis Center on Friday, May 19, 2006. Before being elected to the House of Representatives in 1993, Representative Canavan worked as a staff nurse at the Brockton Dialysis Center and was later promoted to Director of Nursing. Representative Canavan has made a name for herself as an acknowledged leader in health care issues and has been instrumental in promoting legislation that supports patients with End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD). In addition, every fiscal year, Representative Canavan makes it a priority to advocate for funding on behalf of the National Kidney Foundation of Massachusetts to go Dr. Kenneth Zoller, Representative Canavan and Dr. Allan Lauer towards Renal Disease support and prevention programs. Nationwide, approximately 300,000 patients are afflicted with End Stage Renal Disease, many of whom require outpatient hemodialysis up to three times a week. Also honored were staff members who have been a part of the Brockton Dialysis Center since its inception including Gail Bemis, RN, Ruth McHugh, RN, BS, MBA, Elaine Stuis, RN, LDN, Allan Lauer, MD and Kenneth Zoller, MD. The Brockton Dialysis Center, currently owned by Fresenius Medical Care, was established in 1981 as the first facility in southeastern Massachusetts to provide lifesaving hemodialysis to patients in the Brockton area. The establishment of this facility, located at 375 Westgate Drive, Brockton, precluded the need for patients to travel into Boston to receive therapy.
