SAN JOSE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Satellite Healthcare, a leading national not-for-profit provider of dialysis services, is thrilled to announce that patient Gustavo Herrera Castaneda will be honored for undergoing more than 30 years of dialysis during his life-long battle with kidney disease on Saturday, August 22, 2015, at a Western Pacific Renal Network event taking place in Burlingame, California.

“It’s been quite the journey since first being diagnosed with chronic kidney disease in 1969,” Castaneda said. With the exception of a kidney transplant that lasted nearly three years, Castaneda has undergone dialysis for more than three decades as part of that journey.

Castaneda, who has been receiving personalized care and training for home hemo dialysis treatment for more than 10 years at Satellite WellBound of Modesto, suffers from End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD). "WellBound of Modesto has provided the knowledge and support on how to become independent while having kidney disease,” Castaneda said.

Patients suffering from ESRD have complete and irreversible kidney failure, and cannot live without dialysis or a transplant. The average life expectancy for ESRD patients on dialysis is five to 10 years, but many patients can live a quality life while being on dialysis for more than 20 years. "Dialysis itself allows us patients to enjoy our time with family and friends,” Castaneda said.

Managing ESRD can be challenging and requires multiple treatments every week for those receiving dialysis. Castaneda is an inspiration for patients who feel overwhelmed or daunted by the life changes needed to address kidney failure.

Currently, more than 26 million people in the U.S. have Chronic Kidney Disease, which can be a precursor to ESRD.

Western Pacific Renal Network, a not-for-profit that contracts with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to bring ESRD programs to its geographic territory, has created an elite group called the Platinum Partners that is made up of people who have been living with ESRD for more than a quarter of a century.

Castaneda, along with other members of Platinum Partners, will be celebrated at the network’s event for their efforts to choose life and take control of their disease.

About Satellite Healthcare:

Satellite Healthcare, Inc., has been among the nation's leading not-for-profit providers of kidney dialysis and related services since 1974. Through its affiliated services, Satellite WellBound, Satellite Dialysis, and Satellite Research, Satellite Healthcare provides unparalleled early patient wellness education, personalized clinical services and a complete range of dialysis therapy choices. In addition, Satellite Healthcare has a well-recognized, enduring commitment to philanthropy and community service, from funding millions of dollars in research grants to sponsoring kidney walks nationwide. Satellite is committed to advancing the standard of chronic kidney disease care so patients can enjoy a better life.

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