The National Kidney Foundation of Illinois (NKFI) is providing free early detection screenings, designed to help raise awareness of Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD), a condition that affects more than 900,000 Illinoisans and one in nine Americans. The screening will take place at ACCESS Grand Boulevard Health and Specialty Center at 5401 S. Wentworth Ave., from 10a.m., to 2p.m., on Saturday, March 9, 2013. The free screening program is open to all community members.

Rates of chronic kidney disease (CKD) in the United States have increased by more than 20 percent over the last decade, causing kidney failure, loss of life and sky-rocketing health care costs. More than $57 billion of the U.S. Medicare budget is allocated to treat CKD and $23 billion to the treatment of end-stage kidney disease. NKFI improves the health and well-being of people at risk for or affected by kidney disease through prevention, education and empowerment. For more information about risk factors, visit www.nkfi.org.