DaVita's Patient-Centric Modalities Offer Students with Kidney Disease Mo...( DENVER Sept. 9 /- D...),Health

DENVER, Sept. 9 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- DaVita Inc. (NYSE: DVA), a leading provider of kidney care services for those diagnosed with chronic kidney disease (CKD), supports dialysis patients' education by offering individualized treatment options based on optimal patient care standards and social circumstances.

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Victor Tlatelpa, 16, is not your everyday student at Hollywood High School in Los Angeles, CA - in between busy hours of classes and homework he has been dialyzing since May 2008 at DaVita's UCLA Dialysis Center in Westwood, CA. During his treatments three days a week (two of which are school days), he spends time studying and even receives encouragement from DaVita(R) teammates (employees). And in between, he still finds time to play goalie on his friends' soccer team.

"I feel lucky to be able to play soccer," said Victor. "At the beginning of my treatment, I thought I would be in the hospital forever and I worried that I would not be able to play anymore. Now I live a normal life."

At age 62, Darryl Kim of Rancho Cucamonga, CA has overcome multiple challenges while pursuing his doctorate in Clinical Psychology at Loma Linda University - including two kidney transplants, open-heart surgery and a below-the-knee amputation. Originally an in-center hemodialysis patient, he received the help of DaVita clinicians, nurses and technicians switching to nocturnal dialysis and now has the energy to pursue his ambitious educational and career plans.

In 2008, Darryl earned his doctorate and is now working towards completing his clinical hour
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