Little Rock – September 12, 2026 -- The American Association of Kidney Patients (AAKP) will host its 51st annual National Patient Meeting September 10-13, 2026, in Little Rock, Arkansas, with free admission and meals for kidney patients, family members, care partners, and living organ donors. Pre-registration is encouraged online or by calling (800) 749-2257.
The event opens with a free policy forum at the Clinton Presidential Center
AAKP's Public Policy Forum runs September 10 from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. CT at the William J. Clinton Presidential Center, with doors opening at noon and lunch provided. The session covers kidney research, innovation, and how federal regulatory and reimbursement decisions affect patient care. Registration is required.
More than 30 experts will speak on transplants, rare diseases, and new treatments
The conference continues September 11-13 at the Little Rock Marriott, with both virtual and in-person registration options and complimentary meals for those attending in person. Speakers include University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) faculty: Dr. John M. Arthur on Cardio Kidney Metabolic (CKM) Syndrome, Dr. Brandi P. Wright on CKM lab values, Dr. Manisha Singh on rare kidney diseases, and Joy Cope on maintaining transplant readiness and eligibility.
Dr. Dominic Raj of George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences and Dr. Prabir Roy-Chaudhury of the University of North Carolina Kidney Center will discuss emerging kidney science and new care innovations.
The meeting builds on a policy push that produced over 300 Congressional meetings
The gathering follows AAKP's All Kidney Policy is Local campaign, which connected patients, organ donors, and caregivers with U.S. Congressional leaders during the 2026 summer recess. That effort has generated more than 300 legislative and policy meetings with Congressional decision-makers since 2025. The National Patient Meeting is part of AAKP's broader Decade of the Kidney initiative, first rooted in a 2011 policy forum at the same Clinton Center that linked outdated dialysis care to patient unemployment.