Dialysis Patient Citizens Welcomes New Members to Board of...( Educating Americans about the Imp...),Health

Educating Americans about the Importance of Kidney Health Remains Key Element for Organization

WASHINGTON, Sept. 2 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Dialysis Patient Citizens (DPC) -- a nationwide, non-profit patient advocacy group comprised of more than 23,000 dialysis and pre-dialysis patients and family members working to advance the quality of life of dialysis patients -- announced this month the addition of three new board members -- Dr. Gene Copello, of Washington, D.C.; Erich Ditschman, of East Lansing, MI; and Nancy Scott, of New Castle, DE. All newly appointed members come to the board with a wealth of experience in the kidney environment where they have worked to understand the issues of importance to dialysis patients and the difficulties patients sometimes face.

Dr. A. Gene Copello has 25 years of public health program and public policy experience. He is the Executive Director of The AIDS Institute, a national nonprofit and nonpartisan public policy research, advocacy, and education organization. The agency is affiliated with the University of South Florida where Dr. Copello is an Assistant Professor in the College of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases and International Medicine. Previously, Dr. Copello served as Chief of HIV Services for the City of San Francisco and as Executive Director of the San Mateo County AIDS Program in California. He began his career in HIV/AIDS as a faculty member at the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, where he also founded and directed the Vanderbilt AIDS Project.

Erich Ditschman, of East Lansing, MI, is the former President/CEO of Clinton River Watershed Council. Ditschman has been involved with DPC for years through his work as a DPC Patient Ambassador. He has met with Congressional leaders and staff in Washington, D.C. and over the past six years, has organized a team for the Mid Michigan Walk, which has raised over $42,000 for the National Kidney Foundation of Michigan. A home hemo di
'/>"/>