The University Kidney Research Organization (UKRO) honors Grammy Award winner, author and UKRO spokesperson Natalie Cole and others Dec. 10 at a fundraiser dinner held at the Beverly Hilton Hotel.

Cole, the author of Love Brought Me Back: A Journey of Loss and Gain, became the National Spokesperson for UKRO in April. She suffered from kidney failure before she received a kidney transplant in May 2009 after 10 months on dialysis.

Chronic Kidney Disease includes conditions that damage your kidneys and decrease their ability to keep you healthy by removing wastes and fluids from your body. There are many ways of getting the deadly disease. Diabetes, high blood pressure and obesity are the cause of 70 percent of all kidney ailments, according to UKRO. Chronic Kidney Disease affects 26 million adult Americans, and it is the ninth leading cause of death in the United States, according to the National Kidney Foundation.

People who have diabetes, high blood pressure and a family history of kidney disease are at increased risk of Chronic Kidney Disease and should be tested.

Daytime television talk show host and New York Times best-selling author Dr. Phil McGraw presents Cole with the Spirit of Life Award at the dinner.



Beverly Hilton Hotel is located at 9876 Wilshire Blvd., Beverly Hills. For more information, visit ukrocharity.org.