Voices of the Students

So, to hear from the youth themselves. They are all about 15-17 years old and enrolled in an alternative high school in Washington County. They are a mixed group sprinkled with many who speak English as a second language. When asked what they would tell anyone in the world about what they have learned about healthy kidneys, who would it be, why and what would you tell them? “I would tell my husban(d) because he is not eating healthy and sometimes he drinks." "I would tell my family because we have a history of diabetes in the family. I would tell them that the diabetes could lead to kidney failure. My aunt is already on home-dialysis. I would tell them about the Dialysis Center and how you would have to spend 4 hours in a chair 3 days a week." "I would tell my grandma because she has diabetes. I would tell her to eat healthy and watch what she eat(s)." "I would talk to middle school students because that is the age when they make very poor health decisions. I would tell them how you get kidney disease by drugs, and drinking., show them pictures of healthy kidneys and (then) would show them non-healthy kidney pictures." "My dad because he is not healthy person and drinks a lot and my mom because she is overwight and has high blood pressure." "My Mom, because she’s the closest to me. I would tell them about what I learn and if it was fun or not….also the healthy choices you can make instead of bad ones." "It would have to be my Mom because she has diabetes and I would want her to be more careful about it. I would tell her about the dialysis center and what they do there." "I would tell my family members especially the kids because they are so into chips, candy, sodas, etc. They don’t know the consequences of not eating healthy and how it can affect them in the future. I would tell them how they can prevent it or show them healthier food choices." And finally... "I would tell my husband. That he would need to eat healthy for me and his kids. And my family because my family does not eat that healthy and I would let them know what they are doing to their bodies."