U.S.M.C. Veteran Named To Lead National Kidney Health Effort

WASHINGTON, March 30, 2018 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The American Association of Kidney Patients (AAKP), the largest fully independent patient-led kidney advocacy organization in the United States, has named Mr. Edward V. Hickey III., U.S.M.C., as the Chair of the AAKP Veteran's Health Initiative (VHI).

The VHI, based within the AAKP Center for Patient Engagement and Advocacy, is designed to advance research, innovation and policies aimed at safeguarding the highest standards in coordinated kidney care and treatment for veterans managing kidney disease both inside and outside the VA system. Within the U.S. Congress, AAKP elevates kidney disease policy issues with individual Senators and Congressional leaders, key Senate and House oversight committees as well as the Government Accountability Office (GAO).

Mr. Hickey stated, "Veterans and their families face many unique challenges related to managing their healthcare and this is especially true for veterans who suffer from kidney and other complex, chronic diseases. I am committed to making certain my fellow veterans have their voice heard, retain access to the care they have earned and are legally entitled to at the VA and elsewhere and gain the benefit of new research and innovations in the realms of biologics, diagnostics and devices." Mr. Hickey has served as a caregiver to kidney patients and his family, with a long history of military service, has received care through the VA medical system.

AAKP President Paul T. Conway, a former dialysis patient and current transplant recipient stated, "AAKP is honored to have Mr. Hickey serve as the Chair of the Veteran's Health Initiative as well as on the Executive Committee of the AAKP Board of Directors. Veterans deserve full and ongoing access to high quality, coordinated kidney care from professional medical teams who understand their unique needs along with life-saving therapies including both in-center and home dialysis and transplantation. Mr. Hickey is committed to the ideal of service and his experience as a family caregiver, U.S. Marine and defender of veteran rights makes him an ideal advocate for veteran care." Conway is a former Chief of Staff of the U.S. Department of Labor and has served in Federal roles under several presidents.

Mr. Hickey is an attorney with O'Melveny & Myers, an international, 800 lawyer firm with 15 offices in the world's financial and political centers. He is a member of the Litigation Department and Director of the firm's eDiscovery staff attorneys, a role in which he leads all O'Melveny staff attorney operations firmwide. He served as an Infantry officer in the U.S.M.C. as a Lieutenant with postings in Quantico and Camp Pendleton. His distinguished public service career includes posts on Capitol Hill as an Administrative Assistant, as a Special Assistant at the United States Department of Commerce and, following the terror attacks of September 11, 2001, as the Senior Advisor for Homeland Security for the Director of the Office of Personnel Management under President George W. Bush. At OPM, Mr. Hickey also served as liaison to Veteran Service Organizations nationwide, including the Vietnam Veterans of America, AMVETS, the Veterans of Foreign Wars and the American Legion. Mr. Hickey coordinated extensively with elected leaders and staff in the U.S. House and Senate as well as the White House to represent veteran stakeholder interests in the preservation of veteran's legal rights during reforms to U.S. Civil Service laws. He is a recipient of a Silver Helmet Award from AMVETS.

In addition to his role at O'Melveny & Myers, Mr. Hickey is actively involved with community service efforts in California through the Inner City Law Center of Los Angeles, which services veterans and their families in the Los Angeles, California area. He is also active in the Armed Forces Committee and Veterans Legal Service Project of the Los Angeles County Bar Association, which works to identify and address opportunities to assist veterans, active military personnel, and reservists with their legal needs.

Veterans are actively involved on the AAKP national leadership team and thousands of veterans and their families, as well as medical professionals, are involved in the organization. AAKP is bipartisan in their relationships and non-partisan in their operations. AAKP rolled out the VHI at the 2017 Kidney Innovation Summit at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs in Washington, D.C. https://aakp.org/press-release/aakp-participates-kidney-innovation-summit-u-s-department-veterans-affairs/

For more information about AAKP and its programs, visit www.aakp.org or call 1-800-749-2257.