Dr. Michael Fisher to sign copies of his book, “Surviving Kidney Disease: True Stories of Love, Courage, Hope, and Heroism”

“Some 31 million Americans suffer from some form of progressive kidney disease, which will kill more Americans annually than breast or prostate cancer,” says Dr. Michael Fisher, Cottage Hospital’s co-medical director of Acute Dialysis since 1984. “Yet, while most Americans are aware of the risks of breast and prostate cancer, few are aware of kidney disease, despite being at elevated risk for it.”

The good doctor is on a mission to change that. His recent book, Surviving Kidney Disease: True Stories of Love, Courage, Hope, and Heroism, outlines the causes, consequences, treatment options, and prevention strategies for kidney disease. The book also shares inspiring stories of patients who have successfully battled End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD).

In addition to raising awareness through his book, Dr. Fisher is the medical force behind the Eastside Diabetes Prevention Initiative at Franklin Elementary School and Community Service Center. The program is dedicated to educating kids and their parents about the risks of childhood obesity, type two diabetes, and kidney disease through the efforts of dedicated pre-med students from Santa Barbara City College, teachers, families, and local healthcare professionals. By spreading awareness about health and helping families implement the teachings into daily life the program hopes to dramatically lower the prevalence of type 2 diabetes as well as childhood obesity in our community.

“Diabetes is the leading cause of kidney disease, and diabetes of course is very responsive to diet,” Dr. Fisher says. “Yet instead of taking dietary steps to prevent diabetes, Americans are headed in the opposite direction. The #1 risk factor for diabetes is obesity, and a full 40% of Americans is now classified as obese.”

Stress is another factor that takes a toll on our kidneys, Dr. Fisher says. “Chronic stress, now experienced in our society in epidemic proportions, can weaken the immune system over time, unmask latent diabetes and worsen hypertension, all leading to kidney disease and even kidney failure. Then patients have to submit to dialysis, or wait for a suitable kidney donation. That in itself can be debilitating—knowing that one’s life is beyond one’s control, dependent upon the generosity of a donor who might even be a stranger.”

Yet kidney disease is treatable and, in many cases, preventable, as Dr. Fisher’s book makes clear—in conversational layman’s terms. In addition to offering a primer on preventing and dealing with kidney disease, Dr. Fisher also tells the stories of people who overcame a variety of kidney ailments that at the time appeared insurmountable. He was inspired to tell their stories, he says, because, collectively, “They are a metaphor for how the human spirit can soar when disaster of any type appears, whether it’s cancer, loss of a spouse or child, divorce—or catastrophic floods and wildfires, as our community has recently experienced. When there is hope and love, people have the capacity to rise above even the most daunting situations.”

Surviving Kidney Disease: True Stories of Love, Courage, Hope, and Heroism is available on Dr. Fisher’s website, http://michaelfishermd.com/, and on Amazon. ##SurvivingKidneyDisease, #KidneySurvival, #KidneyDisease, #KidneyDialysis, #KidneyTransplant, #KidneyBook