ExecutiveBiz is excited about the upcoming 28th Annual Kidney Ball taking place next weekend, on Saturday, November 22 at the Washington Hilton. This year’s ball promises to be an inspirational and entertaining charity event to raise money for kidney disease, most prevalent in the Washington DC area. Alonzo “Zo” Mourning will be in attendance to sign copies of his new book “Resilience: Faith, Focus, Triumph” exclusively for guests. The Kidney Ball will also feature gourmet dining, a live silent auction, dancing, entertainment by the legendary Doobie Brothers, and a special video presentation, all of which are not to be missed.

This year the Kidney Ball is aiming to raise more than last year’s $1.3 million and, with the unwavering support from thousands of the area’s business and community leaders, we can expect nothing short of a slam dunk in raising over $1 million again this year.

“More than 13 percent of the population has kidney disease and most people don’t know it. As business leaders we have a social responsibility to the community at large. Working with non-profit partners, we can make a significant difference in the lives of many.”

-Jim Duffey, 2008 Kidney Ball Chair

For more details, visit www.kidneywdc.org.

It’s a frightening statistic: The Washington, DC area leads the nation in the prevalence of kidney disease. But there’s hope. The Kidney Ball is the National Kidney Foundation’s largest one-day fundraiser, raising funds to support medical research and other critical initiatives. To keep the momentum going, Jim Duffey, a key voice in the area’s business community, is lending his name to the cause. This fall, Duffey will serve as chair of the 2008 Kidney Ball. In the following Q&A, Duffey shares details about the event and how it will help individuals and families cope with what is one of the most prevalent but overlooked health challenges in the United States today.

Why did you choose to chair the 2008 Kidney Ball?

Jim Duffey: My colleague Donna Morea from CGI asked me to serve on the Kidney Ball Executive Committee and through my involvement I became aware that kidney disease is a very serious public health problem that’s often overlooked. According to the Journal of the American Medical Association, more than 13 percent of the population has kidney disease and most people don’t know it. They are also unaware that diabetes and hypertension are the leading causes of kidney disease—all three of these diseases are very pervasive in our community. As business leaders we have a social responsibility to the community at large. Working with non-profit partners, we can make a significant difference in the lives of many.

Read the rest of this entry »