Charity Founded By Long-Time Bethesda Resident Donates $1M To American Kidney Fund

BETHESDA, MD — The Robert I. Schattner Foundation has made another grant to the American Kidney Fund, this time totaling $250,000, to support children with kidney disease and help people with kidney failure in Maryland, Virginia and Washington, D.C.

The Robert I. Schattner Foundation was founded in 1992 by long-time Bethesda resident and entrepreneur Dr. Robert Schattner, who died from complications of kidney failure in 2017 at the age of 91. Schattner, who moved to the D.C. area in the late 1950s, was a dentist turned inventor who created Chloraseptic, a popular sore-throat medication, and the medical disinfectant Sporicidin.

Over the last few years, the Schattner Foundation has donated more than $1 million to the American Kidney Fund, a nonprofit organization that works on a wide variety of kidney issues, from kidney disease prevention to helping people who have received a kidney transplant.

The Schattner Foundation’s donations have allowed the American Kidney Fund to develop unique programs for children with kidney disease and to increase financial assistance to people with kidney failure in the D.C. area.

Since beginning its partnership with the American Kidney Fund, the Schattner Foundation has primarily supported two programs that help those living with kidney disease: The Greater Washington Metropolitan Area Safety Net Financial Assistance Program and the American Kidney Fund’s camp programs.

"We are deeply grateful to the Robert I. Schattner Foundation for their generous support over the years and are honored to partner with an organization that shares our desire to make a difference in people's lives," said LaVarne A. Burton, American Kidney Fund president and CEO. "Thanks to the foundation, we have made a tangible impact through our Safety Net grants and pediatric programs that have created memories for many children throughout the country."

The Greater Washington Metropolitan Area Safety Net Financial Assistance Program provides grants to low-income dialysis and transplant patients to help pay for treatment-related costs that are not covered by health insurance, such as transportation to and from dialysis, prescription co-payments, over-the-counter medications and nutritional supplements.

With the Schattner Foundation's support, the American Kidney Fund was able to increase the amount of these grants to $250. More than 40,000 people in the D.C. area live with kidney failure, and an estimated 80 percent of these residents cannot work due to their treatment regimen demands, according to the American Kidney Fund.

In 2022, the American Kidney Fund provided nearly $200,000 in grants to 614 kidney disease patients in need in the D.C. using grants from the Schattner Foundation.

The foundation also supports programs for pediatric kidney patients. This spring, Camp All-Stars, organized by Johns Hopkins Children's Center in collaboration with the American Kidney Fund, held a two-day, in-person overnight camp designed to support children and young adults ages 10 to 21 who have chronic kidney disease, are on dialysis, or have had kidney transplants.

This camp offered participants the fun of a traditional camp while also being equipped with the facilities and staff needed to handle the needs of pediatric kidney patients, from dialysis to dispensing medications.

In 2022, the Schattner Foundation's funding also helped the American Kidney Fund launch its first National Virtual Camp Program. Building on the success of the virtual camp program, necessitated by the COVID-19 pandemic, in 2020 and 2021, the American Kidney Fund has continued the virtual camp experience, expanding it to include more children nationwide.

"On behalf of the Robert I. Schattner Foundation, we are so pleased to continue our support for AKF's vital programs that provide safety net grants to local residents in need of financial assistance and allow children living with kidney disease to have an in-person or virtual camp experience," said Robert H. Sievers, treasurer of the Robert I. Schattner Foundation.