Receiving a diagnosis of "chronic kidney failure" or "end-stage renal disease" can be a frightening and confusing experience. Since kidney failure patients need some form of treatment to replace the kidney's functions, finding the right treatment option-dialysis or transplant--to best suit your needs becomes a priority. However, you should know that you are not alone. More than 300,000 patients receive some form of dialysis and about 12,000 patients receive a kidney or kidney-pancreas transplant each year in the United States. Medical knowledge and technology are continually advancing to improve the efficacy of these treatments and to make other options available.

This Web site is meant to inform and educate you about end-stage renal disease and its treatments, and to supplement the information you are receiving from your health care team.