History of our foundation goes well back for several years. It is the continuation of Atatürk University Chronic Kidney Diseases Treatment Foundation.

To overcome problems during establishment of a hemodialysis center, Dr. Ayla San formed Atatürk University Medical School Chronic Kidney Diseases Treatment Foundation, in 1980. Through the foundation, a modern two stories dialysis center was put in service in 1984. Again through the foundation, by organizing 2nd Nephrology Congress, the continuation of Nephrology Congress that could not be donee for a long time, was provided.

She opened lots of dialysis centers associated with the foundation (particularly in Gümüşhane and Kars) or contributed in establishment of them. She assumed dialysis responsibility of eastern Turkey by training many doctors, nurses and technicians

In 1992 Tissue Matching Laboratory was set within the foundation and in 1993 again within the foundation, Nephrology and Hypertension Polyclinic was established.

Atatürk University Chronic Kidney Diseases Treatment Foundation, which delivered important services in the eastern region, was relocated to Ankara and renamed as Anatolia Kidney Foundation in 1995 to serve better and expand its services nation wide. Also a Health, Education, and Research Center was established within the foundation. Within the center, as a health activity, Kidney Diseases and Hypertension Polyclinic was established and a health check –up on was carried out in Gümüşhane, which was selected as a pilot area. The foundation expanded its service area being a consulting office in health services.

The center prepared a course for a private dialysis center as an education activity and carries on two research projects at the moment. Two books written by Ayla San named ‘Dialysis in our Country, Past and Present’ and ‘History of Dialysis and Transplantation in our Country’ has been widely demanded and admired. She also concluded her incomplete duty by finishing the book named ‘Turkish Nephrology History’. The newspaper ‘Renaliz’ issued every four months is a publication that is completely for educational purposes and has been the first scientific nephrology newspaper in Turkey and again broadly admired. Renaliz analyzes  every subjects in Nephrology in a detailed fashion.   Renaliz that reached 55th issue. It has been published for sixteen years.

These comprehensive symposiums were held, which go under the titles of “The First Congress on Hemodialysis and Quality in Turkey” (May 14, 2003-Ankara), “The Symposium on Chronic Renal Failure and Nutrition in Turkey”,(October 24, 2003, İstanbul), “The Second Congress on Hemodialysis and Quality in Turkey” (July 1-3, 2004- Trabzon), “The Second Congress on Chronic Renal Failure Nutrition and Metabolism in Turkey” (November 25-27, 2004- Ankara),”The Book of The Third Congress on Hemodialysis and Quality in Turkey”  (March 24-26, Bolu) Anatolia Kidney Foundation’s Third Renal Diseases and Nutrition Congress” was actualized within the Celebration of Anatolia Kidney Foundation’s Tenth Year at Ankara University Medical School, Morphology Building, Senior Professor Abdülkadir Noyan Lecture Hall on 3rd October 2006. In this congress we hold “MY ANATOLIA” photograph exhibition in cooperation with The Establishment of Photographical Arts. Also its catalogue which includes all photographs of this exhibition. Furthermore Anatolia Kidney Foundation Day was arranged within May 8-14 2006 Foundation’s Week concerned 2006 Foundation Civilization Year. As part of these celebrations attention will be drawn to the spirit of World Kidney Day on 9 May 2006. A panel discussion has been organised for kidney health professionals to focus on "Early detection and prevention in renal diseases. By the way our foundation arranged “The Invitation to the Regard of Turkish Language” photograph exhibition  in cooperation with The Establishment of Photographical Arts. In this context we aimed to notify by photographs that degenerations and invasions by foreign languages in our native language.  We will hold “Intensive Care and Nephrology Symposium” in Konya, on September 7-92006 in cooperation with Konya Seljuk University, Meram Medical School, Nephrology Section.

Furthermore, the foundation informs the public by Renaliz paper and public meetings about organ donation. It gives place to warnings and informative slogans about organ donation and also about other health issues in the calendars that have been published since 1990. The scientific community also admires services of the foundation. The foundation is quickly accepted in Ankara since there was a great necessity for a foundation like ours.

Our foundation believes that there is lack of education beneath every problem in our country and attaches very much importance to the education. The foundation delivered prizes for 1st, 2nd and 3rd places to doctors and nurses for the articles communicated in the congresses carried out for the last 3 years. For the last 7 years the foundation delivers Anatolian Kidney Foundation Special Prize. (First Award was given in The First National Hypertension and Renal Diseases Congress on May 26-30, 1999  in Antalya) In addition, Education Encouragement Prize also has been given since 2003.

IFKF decided to organize the World Kidney Day (WKD) in 2003, when the first congress was head. The main theme was “Are Your Kidneys OK?”.

The Second WKD was celebrated in Ufuk University on March 8, 2007 together with Women’s Day in which there was an exhibition called “Women of Anatolia”. The main theme was “CKD Common, Harmful and Treatable”.

The Third WKD was celebrated on March 13, 2008 in Ufuk University. An exhibition named “Health Army in Çanakkale War” opened with a cocktail, which attracted great attention. The main theme was “Your Amazing Kidneys”.

The Fourth WKD meeting was held together with the coordination of Turkish Hypertension and Nephrology Association and Ufuk University. The main theme was “Protect Your Kidneys: Keep Youd Blood Pressure Down”.

10th International meeting of IFKF was organized in İstanbul between 17^th and 20^th May 2009. The poster which was prepared by Anatolia Kidney Foundation was awarded the best and the invitation preparedby Anatolia Kidney Foundation was exhibited in the ISN meeting in Italy.

The Fifth WKD meeting was held at Ufuk University with the contribution of AKF on 11^th March 2010. The main theme was “Protect Your Kidneys:  Control Diabetes”.

The Sixth WKD activities were held at Ufuk University on 10^th March, 2011. The main theme was “Protect Your Kidneys: Save Your Heart”.

12^th IFKF meeting was held in Vancouver between 4-7 April 2011, where 3 posters prepared by AKF was awarded the second.

The Seventh WKD was celebrated on March 8th, 2012 with the invaluable support and participation of scientists. The main theme was “Donate Kidneys to Save Lives”. The activities and presentations were sent to the committee of IFKF 14^th meeting, as posters which were awarded the third by the WKD Activities committee.

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The eighth meeting of International Association of History of Nephrology was held between 11 and 14 September 2013 in Antigue Olympia-Patra. Prof. Ayla San, MD participated with her speech on“Nephrological Knowledge in Turkey during the 18^th, 19^th and early 20^th Centuries”, which was published in journal of Nephrology.  Timeline for a Humanistic Nephrology, reports from the 8th, IAHN Congress-Ancient Olympia-Patra (Greece) (11-14 September 2013, Guest Editors: De Santo Natale G., Di lorio B, Diamandopouos A. A, Bellinghieri G., Rutkowski B, Vol. 26/ Suppl. 22, November-December 2013, Pages: 164-169). The same work was published in History of Nephrology later which gained great recognition by Athanasios A. Diamandopoulos, Garabed Eknoyan and Stewart Cameron.

We realized the 9th World Kidney Day more enthusiasticallly and excitedly.

By celebrating on 14^th March 2014 instead of the 13^th March. This year’s issue was “Aging and Chronic Kidney Disease” The fact that it was not mentioned until then was a deficiency. It provided us with the feeling of the need fort he Geriatric Nephrology and the preparation of guidelines for Geriatric patients .

Prof. Ayla San, MD gave information on Kidney diseases in our country and activities which were held on World Kidney Day broadcast on TRT School Channel “Daily Guidelines Program” on April 17^th 2014.

*      2015 Kidney Health for All (12 March 2015, but we arranged on 12 March 2015)

*      2016 Kidney Diseases and Children: Act Early to Prevent It!  (10 March 2016)

Our foundation, which made the belief of “Live and Give Life” a slogan, publishes the newspaper called “Renaliz” once in three months, which is preparing the 63^rd issue nowadays.

Our foundation emphasizes education thinking that one of the most important problems in our country is education as a consequence it has given numerous awards to doctors and nurses in different congresses.

In addition, it tries to inform the public of the organ donation through open meetings and “Renaliz” since 1980. It received great recognition by scientific circles.

Prof Ayla San was presented the Joel D. Kopple Prize in the16th IFKF annual meeting held in Tokyo, Japan, on 9-12 July 2015.

Our foundation in the belief that “Gîving Life is more important than Living” tries to raise awareness in healthy living and bringing up should be our national mission.

Ourfoundation in thebeliefthat “Gîving Life is moreimportantthanLiving” triestoraiseawareness in healthylivingandbringingupshould be ournationalmission.