Kapil Panda, a 15-year-old boy from Odisha living in Dallas, Texas, US, is making an impact on international shores.
Kapil lost his grandmother Shantimayee Acharya to kidney disease impacting him deeply. Shantimayee was a Deputy General Manager at IDCOL, Bhubaneswar and was being treated for kidney failure in Kalinga Hospital. Instead of sulking over the issue at home, Kapil decided to take on kidney disease itself. From working in kidney health camps to publishing a book to raise funds, Kapil worked incessantly and then at the age of 13 Kapil became an advocate for the National Kidney Foundation in US. Kapil now speaks to the US Texas Senate on kidney policies and research initiatives. He was recently featured by the National Kidney Foundation for his contributions in the field.
As a member of the Asian-American Pacific Islander (AAPI) community, Kapil also focuses on the disproportionate impact of kidney disease on the population. Kapil intends to pursue a career in research in chronic kidney disease. He is also a drummer and a basketball player in his school team. On weekends Kapil speaks to children in Odisha and helps them to become comfortable in speaking English.