It's a fairly well-known fact that a person with diabetes or high blood pressure has an increased risk of suffering a heart attack or a stroke.

But what many people may not realize is that those medical conditions also put a person at greater risk for kidney failure.

That's why anyone with diabetes or high blood pressure should ask his or her doctor about getting tested for chronic kidney disease, said Dr. Richard A. Matarese.

The Watertown physician daily sees patients who are in the final stages of the disease and must rely on a machine to keep them alive.

Dr. Matarese and his partner, Dr. Khalid P. Sindhu, operate Renal Care of Northern New York, a 24-unit dialysis facility. The two nephrologists have a private practice, Nephrology Associates of Watertown.

"There are more treatments available to slow down the loss of kidney function," Dr. Matarese said. "The earlier it's detected, the earlier we can start treatment."

But it's difficult to catch patients early because many don't have symptoms in the initial stages of the disease.

Those in the advanced stages of kidney disease may start to show symptoms such as fluid retention and difficulty concentrating. By that time, the damage may be too great to repair.

Dr. Matarese is one of several north country residents working with the National Kidney Foundation of Central New York, Syracuse, on a Side by Side for Life walk to raise awareness about kidney disease.

Three north country walks are scheduled for Aug. 12. The Watertown event will be held at Thompson Park, while other walks will be at the Remington Recreation Trail, Canton, and Breitbeck Park, Oswego.

Registration for the Watertown and Canton events will be 11 a.m. and the walks will start at noon. The walk in Oswego will have registration at 10 a.m. with the walk to follow at 11.

The walks are being held nationwide not only to increase awareness about kidney disease, but to raise money that will benefit national research projects and north country patients, Dr. Matarese said.

For example, the Kidney Foundation offers screenings for chronic kidney disease from a mobile medical unit that is brought to sites in the north country on an annual basis.

Applications for the events are at the Renal Care Facility, outer Washington Street in the town of Watertown, or online at the Web site: www.kidneywalk.org.

If you don't think that you or a family member or friend could be affected by kidney disease, consider these National Kidney Foundation statistics:

Chronic kidney disease is a public health problem affecting 20 million Americans.

Risk factors include diabetes, high blood pressure and family history.

One in nine American adults has kidney disease and most don't know it.

92,000 people are waiting for kidney transplants.

17 people die each day waiting for transplants.