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The Honolulu Advertiser
Updated at 1:25 a.m., Tuesday, April 22, 2008

Kidney disease help sought

Associated Press

Kidney disease patients are rallying for Hawaii lawmakers to commit money to fight the illness.

U.S. Rep. Neil Abercrombie, doctors, state legislators and organ donors asked for $1.5 million in matching funds from the state budget at the Capitol.

An estimated 156,000 people in Hawaii have chronic kidney disease, which is the highest rate of any state in the nation. About 2,500 residents suffer from the final stages of the disease.

The money would be used for the St. Francis Healthcare System to build a facility for kidney disease patients, screen residents for the disease and offer medical counseling.

Lawmakers are seeking funding through a grant-in-aid that would be allocated when the budget is completed over the next two weeks.