Connect

This is the latest installment in our Connect article series “Hope at Work” — showcasing inspiring stories about how our team members contribute to UVA Health’s 10-year strategic plan: “One Future Together Health and Hope for All.” No matter where you work, you have an opportunity to inspire hope in others. These stories show how:

Did you know one in three adults in the United States is at risk for kidney disease? And one in seven adults has kidney disease — and 90% of them don't know it? That’s according to the National Kidney Foundation. At UVA Health, our Dialysis Food Pharmacy Program is marking five years of providing our patients with easier access to healthy foods to help meet their nutritional needs.

‘Novel Approach’

During the pandemic in 2020, a Blue Ridge Area Food Bank (BRAFB) grant through Sentara Health provided the initial funding that launched a one-year pilot program. UVA Health Dialysis sent 15 patients with the highest food insecurity needs home with a free bag of “kidney-friendly” foods. The bag included foods such as fresh fruits, vegetables, proteins, grains, condiments, spices, and more — along with kidney nutrition education, recipes for low-cost dishes, and community food resource referrals.

Through additional donations to BRAFB during COVID, UVA Health Dialysis served more than 50 patients in 2020, and with more BRAFB funding, was able to continue to help even more patients .

The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics 2025 theme is “Food Connects Us," and the UVA Health Dialysis Food Pharmacy Program certainly is making those connections: “This is a novel approach to food insecurity for some of our most complex and socioeconomically challenged patients, and we have met some amazing colleagues and supporters across UVA Health and UVA along the way,” says Lesley McPhatter, MS, RDN, CSR, Clinical Nutrition Manager, UVA Health Lynchburg Dialysis.

By the Numbers

In 2023, these Food Pharmacies served about 3,000 bags of foods to about 300 patients at six UVA Health Dialysis locations in Central Virginia. Since July 2023, the program has been self-funded through generous donations that will enable it to expand to serving patients with food insecurity at all 12 UVA Health Dialysis programs. In 2024, the program reached the Staunton and Appomattox units. And soon — by June 2025 — it will reach UVA Health Dialysis at Orange, Page, and Culpeper.

The program surveyed patients at three locations — UVA Health Lynchburg, Orange, and Zion — to better assess their food needs. Grateful recipients raved about the program:

• “The food helps me make it from month-to-month when my money runs out — the service is greatly appreciated.”
• “With the program, I know that there’s food coming.”
• “I am very thankful that you have food here. It really helps.”

In 2024, the program provided more than 3,000 bags to approximately 350 patients and received a $4,500 grant to add shelving and refrigeration at four sites — allowing more perishable and highly valued meats and dairy products to be stored for distribution. Since the program’s inception, 9,000 bags have been provided to 450+ patients. 

Overall, UVA Health Dialysis Food Pharmacies have raised more than $60,000 solely through fundraising with the support of UVA Health Nephrology, UVA Health Foundation, and many private donors.  

Spreading the Word

Appropriately, the program’s anniversary falls during March, which also marks National Dialysis Awareness Month, National Kidney Month, and National Nutrition Month. 

Lesley is not only leading the way — she’s spreading the word about the Food Pharmacy, including through presentations at Nephrology Grand Rounds at University Medical Center and National Kidney Foundation Spring Clinical meetings. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Service (CMS) is collecting data on health equity in dialysis, which are set to become a quality improvement performance indicator in 2026. 

“By all indications, UVA Health Dialysis Food Pharmacy is one of a kind,” she says. “We’re leading the way with our focus on addressing food insecurity within UVA Health Dialysis, eliminating additional travel concerns for patients — and easing the ever-growing burden of choosing food, medicine, or transportation to dialysis. We are committed to doing whatever it takes to continue and expand the program across UVA Health Dialysis. We are making a difference.”

Get Involved

Lesley adds that funding is more vital than ever, as participation in the program increases and public benefits decrease. Want to help? Consider making a donation. Go to the UVA Health web page on UVA’s Give Campus website and choose “Dialysis Food Pharmacy Program” in the “designation” dropdown. Or go to the UVA Health Dialysis Food Pharmacy team web page on the UVA Health Foundation site.