Kidney Donor Plays Role of Actress in “Know Your GFR” Campaign

Arizona Kidney Foundation’s New TV Spots Filmed with Actors Personally Touched by Chronic Kidney Disease

Phoenix, AZ – When the Arizona Kidney Foundation recently announced casting calls for its new campaign entitled “Know Your GFR,” they weren’t surprised by the overwhelming response from eager actors and models in Phoenix ready to take on the available roles. They were, however, surprised by the number of thespians whose lives had been personally touched by kidney disease and now wanted to give back by being a part of the bold PSA’s, designed to make Arizonans take charge of their kidney health.

One such response for the volunteer-only spots arrived via e-mail: “I am interested in being involved. I am also a kidney donor! My name is Robin and I am 5′9″ with blonde hair and blue eyes.”

“Robin” turned out to be Robin Cote, 40, from Gilbert. And while Cote’s face may not be familiar to Valley residents, her name and remarkable voice most certainly are. Cote is a retired radio personality and producer heard for years locally over stations such as KSLX, KDKB, KTAR, The Zone and The Edge.

On a blistering hot Sunday morning at the end of June, Cote walks with other extras through a city street scene as the filming begins on the Arizona Kidney Foundation TV spots.

“I donated my kidney to a very good friend, so he would have a better chance to live” relates Cote. “He survived four more years, and I am living proof, 25 years later, of the power of kidney donation – I am proud of my 10-inch scar!”

New technologies and medicines have made kidney transplants much easier, including procedures that leave minimal scars, but back in the mid-eighties, Cote notes that there were still huge misconceptions about donation and transplants, along with the constant “whispering” of colleagues who were puzzled as to why she would make this sacrifice for a person she was not even related or married to.

“I started out in the music business in 1974 and in a span of about 10 years, I probably attended 42 funerals,” adds a stoic Cote. “I was running in an eclectic mix that included a lot of tortured souls and fragile musicians who succumbed from numerous circumstances, including drugs, alcohol, suicide, cancer and traffic accidents. When I learned that my dear friend needed a kidney, I was immediately tested for a match. I saw it as a gift – at no cost – and I was not about to lose someone else.”

Within two weeks, Cote’s friend went from a man clinging to life on dialysis, to a man with a full life with her kidney. Cote herself was a little too “breathy” when she first went back to work, but she quickly recovered and ultimately resumed her successful radio career, interviewing the likes of Aerosmith and other famous rockers that she had idolized in her teens.

The campaign that Cote is a part of is entitled “Know Your GFR” and features PSA’s specifically targeted toward people with diabetes, hypertension, obesity and cardiac disease, because those individuals are also at higher risk for Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD). All three spots were filmed on location in Phoenix.

GFR or Glomerular Filtration Rate is considered to be a key indicator of kidney condition. The earlier the detection, the better the odds of slowing or managing kidney disease. One in nine American adults (26 million) have Chronic Kidney Disease – and, of those, 90% don’t know they have it, according to the Arizona Kidney Foundation.

As the director watches the just completed scene playback on the monitor, Cote stands calmly in the heat, wearing the business attire required of her businesswoman character. Her lapel is adorned with a modest “Gift of Life Donor” button bearing the green ribbon for kidney awareness as a testament to her ultimate commitment. In 2001, when Cote’s husband passed away, she donated his organs, and she plans to do the same when she leaves this world.

“What better way to remember a person than to donate their organs?” says Cote. “In fact, if you really want to be ‘green,’ recycle your organs,” laughs Cote. “And know your GFR score. It’s a piece of information that can keep you and your loved ones from having to make some of the toughest decisions in your life, until you’re actually ready to make them.”

Arizona Kidney Foundation is a non-profit organization dedicated to helping kidney disease sufferers across the state overcome the medical, financial, and logistical challenges of chronic kidney disease. In 2008, the organization commemorates its 45th anniversary of providing Arizonans with dynamic programs, including education initiatives and organ donation awareness. For more information, call (602) 840-1644 or visit www.azkidney.org.