The National Kidney Foundation will celebrate the recipients of its top awards — including two Northern Kentuckians — at its annual Dining with Stars event on March 12.
Dr. Sharad Goel has been named the 2025 recipient of The NKF Healthcare Hero Award, and Rick and Amy Schwab have been named the 2025 recipients of The NKF Kidney Community Champion Award by the National Kidney Foundation serving Greater Cincinnati.
These annual awards recognize the outstanding accomplishments of the local National Kidney Foundation (NKY) volunteers who have demonstrated exemplary dedication and commitment to NKF’s mission through fundraising, program development, or advocacy.
All three recipients will be formally presented with their top honor on March 12, during the Dining with the Stars event to be held at Cincinnati’s Rhinegeist Brewery at 6:30 p.m.
“Dr. Goel is most deserving of the NKF Healthcare Hero Award,” said NKF of Ohio Executive Director Anna Tzinis, who selected the honoree with input from staff. “Our dedicated volunteers are a critical part of who we are, what we do, and how we do it, from program delivery to advocacy to fundraising.”
Dr. Goel was chosen for his leadership, his expertise in chronic kidney disease, ESRD, and acute kidney failure, removing barriers to kidney transplantation, and increasing public awareness of kidney disease. He has been a connector for the NKF in driving new innovative partnerships and adds great value to the local Board of Advisors.
“Rick and Amy Schwab’s unselfish and dedicated service to NKF made them perfect candidates for the Kidney Community Champion award,” Tzinis shared. “Forty-one years ago, Rick didn’t know what type of journey his diagnosis would take him on. But almost 42 years post-transplant, he is now giving back to a community that gave him so much. Rick is a Board Member of the local NKF, and both he and Amy are role models who have inspired, encouraged, and empowered other volunteers to achieve fundraising excellence and increase awareness about NKF’s mission.”
“These candidates are a stellar example for volunteers who give more than their time,” said Tzinis. “Our local volunteers are visionaries, changemakers, and heroes in NKF’s ongoing fight against kidney disease.”
Kidney Disease Facts
30 million American adults are estimated to have chronic kidney disease — and most aren’t aware of it. 1 in 3 American adults are at risk for chronic kidney disease. Risk factors for kidney disease include diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, obesity and family history of kidney failure. People of African American, Hispanic, Native American, Asian or Pacific Islander descent are at increased risk for developing the disease. African Americans are 3 times more likely than Whites, and Hispanics are nearly 1.5 times more likely than non-Hispanics to develop end-stage renal disease (kidney failure).