The EagleBank Bowl, a 501(c)(3) organization created to benefit charitable organizations and the greater Washington area community, is pleased to announce that its official health charity is the National Kidney Foundation (NKF), a nonprofit health organization that seeks to prevent kidney and urinary tract diseases, improve the health and well-being of individuals and families affected by these diseases, and increase the availability of all organs for transplantation.

We’ve formed a charitable partnership with the NKF to increase awareness about this organization and to raise funds to support the 26 million people affected by chronic kidney disease and the 100,000 individuals waiting for organ transplants.

In November 2009, the National Kidney Foundation presented its Outstanding Leadership Award to Ronald D. Paul, the Chairman and CEO of EagleBank, for his 20 years of dedicated service to the Foundation. Paul has held a number of leadership roles, including Board Chairman and Kidney Ball Chairman, and provided generous financial support for countless initiatives, such as the Ronald D. Paul Companies Kidney Walk.

Paul was diagnosed with chronic kidney disease in 1983 and received a transplant in 1990 with a kidney donated by his brother, Steven Paul. After many years of service, that kidney failed, and Paul received another transplant on January 21, 2009, with a kidney donated by his friend and colleague, Kathy McCallum. Paul is dedicated to raising awareness about kidney disease and organ donation.

The relationship with the EagleBank Bowl “will go a long way to educate the public about kidney disease and its leading causes – diabetes and high blood pressure,” according to Preston A. Englert, Jr., CAE, division president of the National Kidney Foundation. “If kidney disease is detected in its early stages, it can often be managed, and progression to kidney failure can be prevented or delayed. That’s why early testing for people at risk is so important.”

The National Kidney Foundation provides free testing nationwide through its Kidney Early Evaluation Program (KEEP).

For more information on the National Kidney Foundation, please call 202-244-7900 or visit www.kidneywdc.org.