Neonatal Kidney Collaborative

When there seemed to be no path forward, Braysen’s story became one of faith, perseverance, and redefining what’s possible. 🤍

We’re honored to share his journey as part of the NKC Family Story Series. Read his full story at babykidney.org, and stay tuned for a special family video later this month.

Last night, we gathered on Boston Harbor for our 2026 NKC dinner—an incredible evening with an even more incredible community.

There’s something special about being together in person—connecting, sharing stories, and celebrating the friendships that come from a shared commitment to improving kidney care for babies and children. We were also proud to recognize this year’s NKC Award recipients.

Grateful for the energy, the connection, and the momentum this community continues to build. 💙

David Askenazi, NKC Board Member, in the news! Working hard to improve care for children!

Innovating for better outcomes: UAB advances kidney care Innovating for better outcomes: UAB advances kidney care

Celebrating excellence at PAS 2026 👏

Congratulations to this year’s outstanding ASPN honorees:
✨ Michelle Starr, NKC Research Committee Co-chair – Equity, Social Justice, and Advocacy Award
✨ Jennifer Charlton, NKC President – Mid-Career Award
✨ Melissa Zhou, NKC SIX2 crew member – Best Clinical Science Abstract

We’re proud to recognize the NKC Pilot & Feasibility Award recipients at for their work advancing neonatal kidney research.

👏 Congratulations to:
• Melissa Zhou
• Megan Gates

Supported by the Burroughs Wellcome Fund, these awards provide up to $5,000 to support pilot and feasibility studies that help investigators build toward future independent funding.

Pediatric Academic Societies (PAS)
Day 1 ✅

Our Research Incubator in Neonatal Kidney Disease (RINK) met this afternoon to discuss NKC research and collaborative projects — including ongoing research and quality improvement work, as well as upcoming projects and new ideas.

Great to connect and keep the momentum going. Strong start to PAS!

NKC is in Boston for ! 🩵

Today we’re kicking things off at RINK, where we’ll be connecting, collaborating, and announcing our Pilot & Feasibility Grant winners.

Then join us Friday for the NKC Annual Membership Social—we can’t wait to see our community together in person!

April is HIE Awareness Month, and this month’s family story is one of resilience. 🩵

Acute Kidney Injury (AKI) occurs in 30–50% of newborns with moderate to severe HIE—highlighting how both the brain and kidneys can be affected by a lack of oxygen at birth.

We’re honored to share Cash’s story this month to raise awareness of the link between HIE and kidney injury. The NKC and are helping families feel more connected and informed while working to improve outcomes for infants affected by HIE and kidney injury. That impact grows even stronger when organizations like these come together.

🧡 Watch Cash’s story:
https://youtu.be/zzX3K5kwtzw

🔗 Read his full story and follow along as we continue to share more:
https://www.babykidney.org/for-families/patient-stories/

We’re excited to share this! 👏

Marissa DeFreitas, NKC Education Committee Co-Chair & Board Member, will be speaking in São Paulo, Brazil this April on neonatal acute kidney injury and dialysis updates.

Her work continues to make a global impact in advancing kidney care for our smallest patients 💙

Watch the full reel below ⬇️

Dra Marissa DeFreitas, nefrologista pediátrica especialista em IRA neonatal da Universidade de Miami, virá compartilhar seus conhecimentos e experiência conosco no IRAUSP PED!🤗 #nefropediatria #injuriarenalaguda #iraneonatal @fmusp_oficial