Tulare Woman to receive national honor

Tulare resident Maria Grijalva will be receiving a National Kidney Foundation (NKF) Award in Austin, Texas on April 13. Grijalva has been the head of the Tulare/Kings Kidney Support group for over 20 years. A transplant recipient herself 36  year ago, she knows both sides of the spectrum of needing or receiving a kidney. She was previously chosen as one of KSEE’s 24 Woman of the Year and Tulare City Council 1st Council District International Woman of the Year in 2020.

Grijalva will be flying to Texas with her brother next Wednesday, April 12 and returning on Friday.

More than three decades ago, Maria knew nothing about kidney disease until her kidneys failed, and she needed a transplant. Her brother, John Arriola, successfully donated one of his kidneys. Today, they work together to help others. Maria devotes her efforts to educating Native American people and farm workers in the agricultural communities in California and raise awareness among high-risk populations about kidney health and kidney disease.

The Tulare City Council will then recognize Grijalva at their next council meeting Tuesday, April 18th in their Chambers at the Tulare Library.

“There is not a better person to be recognized for all of the things she does that benefits Central Valley renal patients. Thank you for sharing this accomplishment,” said Tulare resident Mary Sepeda.

“My mother was in renal failure and we met Maria in the kidney support group decades ago and John and I were friends in high school.”

According to the national Kidney Foundation, “Kidney patient advocate Maria Elena Grijalva has been fighting for people at the greatest risk of kidney disease ever since she received a kidney transplant 36 years ago. Her efforts will be honored by the National Kidney Foundation (NKF) at the 2023 Spring Clinical Meetings in Austin, TX. She will receive the Celeste Castillo Lee Patient Engagement Award, which was established to honor the longtime advocate for patient-centered care and empowerment.

“I first met Maria at the 2020 Congressional briefing and was impressed by her dedication to raise awareness of kidney disease in her community, particularly in individuals of Native American and Hispanic backgrounds. She gives so much to others with kidney disease,” said NKF President Sylvia Rosas, MD, MSCE. “It is dedicated volunteers like Maria and their relentless work to improve the lives of people facing kidney disease that provides us the inspiration to continue to do our work.”

“It is an incredible gift to receive a transplant and it has given me the power to educate others about prevention, understanding their kidney disease, and to advocate for themselves with their healthcare team,” Maria said. “The National Kidney Foundation has always supported me and encouraged me to engage in ways I’ve never dreamed. This award means that NKF has recognized my commitment in educating those high-risk populations about kidney disease. I couldn’t be more proud.”

Each year NKF considers the efforts of advocates and patients who work on behalf of others and selects among them one who most exemplifies the work of longtime advocate Celeste Castillo Lee. The award is presented to the recipients during one of the nation’s largest and most important annual gathering of clinicians and kidney health professionals at the NKF 2023 Spring Clinical Meetings.

“NKF means I get answers. Facts. Straightforward easy to understand information. Support if I need to have someone to talk to and I never feel alone,” Maria said. “Before I connected with NKF, besides my nephrologist I had no other person who I could talk to about how I was feeling what I was feeling and why I felt the way I felt. I knew no one going through this road of uncertainty. My dialysis peers were my support.”

“Never assume the education is out in the public eye about any health issue,” Maria said. “Check out your local health fairs and see what’s missing. Be an advocate by volunteering. Fill the void. We, the patients, are the people who know it best. The human touch is best from those who’ve been there.”