“APBZ and friends” is an association, created in the interest of people with kidney diseases and as such is a non-profit organization in public benefit. In this direction the Association is not at the disposal to any commercial interest. The commercial independence is among the major corporation’ assets and is guarding very jealously by the Managing and Control Commits. PATIENT’S interest is put on a pedestal and any other interest is subordinated to it.

Our members are patients on dialysis, before dialysis, kidney, liver and heart transplanted people, patients with kidney problems and their relatives, friends, involved in the disease.

 The Bulgarian inhabitancy is about 7mln. people.  The kidney suffering people are more than  People on dialysis are over  Kidney transplanted – about 420; liver transplanted - 33; heart transplanted 16.  On waiting list are about people.

The purposes, which we achieve, can be gathered into 5 main groups, namely: 1. To support our members and their families in their struggle with the disease; 2. To improve their social life; 3. To help for better dialysis treatment in Bulgaria; 4. To inform patients about their rights and innovations, related to their treatment 5. To proclaim donor ship and contribute to the transplantation development in Bulgaria

All of the above mentioned problems force us to have a hard and profound work in organizing different initiatives, like:  Organizing educational meetings in different towns in Bulgaria, in which take part doctors –specialists in various diseases;  Conducting forums, which idea is not only to present new and interesting lectures but also to gather all the involved in the problem people who can discuss the top interesting issues, problems and the ways to their permission;  Publishing books in the various relative health problems which kidney patients have;  Organizing the sport games.

“APBZ” is an organization which is trying to unite all the involved parties, namely patients, doctors, state institutions and pharmaceutical companies in order to achieve effective and useful work. That’s why we maintain a very energetic communication with all of them – governing people, doctors’ organizations, managers of all 64 hemodialysis departments. “APBZ” is a member of IAPO and the Bulgarian umbrella patient organization – Confederation for Health Protection and maintain good relationship with lots of European and Bulgarian patients organizations. These contacts are very important to us because they give us an opportunity to be well informed and stronger.

At the end of 2007 “APBZ” issued its 1 st book dedicated to sexual problems which appear during dialysis treatment. The book was written by a doctor – specialist in the area and had a great interest among patients. Hope soon we’ll have a second one which theme will be bone problems during dialysis and after transplantation.

ПЪРВА КНИЖКА

 In cooperation with one of the Bulgarian TV channels the Association worked out a serial TV show –programme which aim was to acquaint our community with the multiple and rapidly increasing problems in the kidney diseases.  A lot of distinguished specialist in the area of nephrology, transplantology and clinical researches participated in this unique TV project for Bulgaria.

 The I-st Forum for patients with kidney disease was organized on 21 st of June 2008 in Kazanlak City and its catch line was “The medicine innovations connected with kidney diseases!”

 On 22 nd of June 2009 we organized our first sport games divided into 4 sections– basketball, volleyball, ping-pong and throwing small ball.  It was a great success in our struggle to convince our fellows in the importance of sport activity. The meeting was covered by the National TV and other smaller channels.

On 04 th of October 2008 our Association was a major partner of the 22 nd Conference of the “Organization of family doctors in Sofia” which was dedicated to kidney diseases. The idea was to improve family doctors’ knowledge in the area.

On October 2008 an expert working group gathering representatives of Ministry of Health, National Health Insurance Fund, doctors-specialists and our Association started its work in developing a list of all the existing problems in the kidney diseases’ treatment and the ways to their overcome. This group was leaded by the Health Ministry but our representatives were equal members to all others.

 The Forum was organized on the occasion of the World Kidney Day – 12 March It took place in one of the most famous watering-place spa in Bulgaria – Velingrad City.  During the 2-days initiatives the attended members had the opportunity to hear interesting lectures and to be free examined by a dentist.

 The participants defined some of the future steps which APBZ must undertake in order to cope with the problems which kidney patients have and in this relation signed a Declaration for action.  At the Forum attended representatives of the doctors’ organizations, specialists and delegates from Litvanian and Lithuianan kidney organizations.