(BOLINGBROOK, IL) – Patients in Bolingbrook and its surrounding communities will now have improved access to life-saving care thanks to a new 13-station U.S. Renal Care dialysis facility located  396 Remington Boulevard, Ste 110, in Bolingbrook. Will County Executive Larry Walsh, Bolingbrook Mayor Roger Claar, National Kidney Foundation of Illinois CEO Kate Grubbs O’Connor, area hospital leaders, healthcare advocates, patients and physicians gathered today to mark the opening of the state-of-the-art facility.  

“It is such a relief to finally have a choice when it comes to the location and setting of my dialysis care,” said 27-year-old patient and Bolingbrook resident Robert Pace. “Having a new center nearby will shave twenty-five minutes off of my drive and that extra time means the world to me because I can spend it with my four-year-old son. Before, I had to travel all the way Naperville to dialyze because the other nearby clinics were all full.”

The new facility will help meet the increased demand for dialysis services in the area. This need can be attributed to the rapid population growth that Bolingbrook has seen in recent years, especially within the Hispanic and African-American populations. These minorities are at a disproportionate risk of developing kidney-related diseases like diabetes, which is one of the leading causes of kidney failure.  The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention expects diabetes cases in the Chicago area to grow by nearly 50 percent over the next fifteen years.

“The growth in the area, both in terms of population and diversity, has created a real need for more high-quality dialysis care,” said Dr. Mohammed Ahmed, a nephrologist who will serve as the facility’s Medical Director. “This new U.S. Renal Care facility will give patients expanded access to care while also offering a choice in providers. It will also help ease the burden that kidney failure puts on patients and their families by providing them with a convenient location, healing environment, and a care team that puts patient needs above all else.”

Along with a convenient location, patients will have access to an entire team of dedicated   professionals including dieticians, social workers and nurses who will provide patients and their families with the support and resources they need to stay on a healthy path during treatment. The new center also comes equipped with massage chairs and individual DVD players at each station to ensure a comfortable and relaxing experience. 

In addition to in-center dialysis treatments, the new facility is right next door to a cutting-edge U.S. Renal Care Home Therapies program located at the same address. The Home Therapies center provides education and training for patients who choose to dialyze in the comfort of their homes. 

“Every dialysis patient is different and has his or her own unique medical and personal needs. That’s why U.S. Renal Care is committed to offering patients a variety of treatment options so they can choose the care that best fits their lifestyle,” said Home Therapies nurse Laura Regis. “The Home Therapies program provides patients with education, training and regular contact with professionally trained staff so that they have the tools they need to carry out their dialysis care in the comfort of their own home.” 

Beyond providing both in-center and at-home treatment options, U.S. Renal Care and its physicians are committed to making sure patients understand all of their options, including a kidney transplant, which is ultimately the best treatment for kidney failure. According to the National Kidney Foundation of Illinois, there are approximately 4,700 people in Illinois waiting for an organ transplant. Two-thirds of those patients are on the list waiting for kidneys, which on average can take between 5 and 7 years.  While patients wait for a transplant, it is critical they have access to quality dialysis care to stay healthy.                              

The U.S. Renal Bolingbrook facility was approved by the Illinois Health Facilities and Services Review Board in October 2011 and received widespread support from local and state leaders, area health care leaders and many physicians and patients.  

The facility is U.S. Renal Care’s third dialysis center in Illinois. They currently operate facilities in the Streamwood and Oak Brook/Downers Grove Area. They are set to open their fourth facility in Villa Park in the winter of 2013.