Health

Overnight Dialysis Offers Benefits to People with Chronic Kidney Disease

Published

11 years ago

January 20, 2015

By Gregory Mignano

When Derek Mattox learned in 2003 that his kidneys were failing and he’d need dialysis to stay alive he knew his life was about to change big-time.

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What the Oakland resident, who was 39 at the time, couldn’t foresee was that 12 years later he’d be healthy, happy and using an increasingly popular dialysis treatment option to live a life as close to normal as he could imagine: nocturnal dialysis.

More than 26 million Americans – approximately eight percent of the population – suffer from Chronic Kidney Disease and many will one day face kidney failure and need to chart a course through dialysis treatment.

Diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease can put people at an increased risk for kidney disease, and African Americans, Hispanics, Pacific Islanders and American Indians also face increased risk. African-Americans like Mattox, for instance, comprise more than 32 percent of all Americans receiving dialysis, despite representing just 13% of the total population.

Mattox, now 51, took treatment seriously from the very start. “It was like a new job and a new life for me, so I researched it, found out what was going on,” he says. “I knew my disease would take my life if I didn’t follow the directions.”

The traditional and predominantly prescribed course of treatment for kidney failure, known in medical terms as End Stage Renal Disease, requires that patients go to a center several mornings or afternoons per week for four hours at a time.

There, a blood-filtering machine removes waste and excess fluid from their blood – a task their kidneys can no longer do. Juggling a job, family and other responsibilities and activities with dialysis during daylight hours is no easy feat.

While Mattox managed to go back to school and work in various special education and childhood development roles while undergoing daytime dialysis for many years, it was tough. A few years ago, he decided to try nocturnal dialysis, spending three nights each week receiving overnight treatment.

When Satellite Healthcare launched a nocturnal program at its Oakland Dialysis Center at Telegraph and 33^rd Street in 2013, Mattox was among its first patients.

The not-for-profit organization, founded more than 40 years ago, has been expanding its program in response to increased demand, now offering nocturnal dialysis in many of its centers across California.

Patients opting for nocturnal dialysis swap three nights of at-home sleep each week for overnight treatment. Mattox lives just 25 minutes on foot from the Oakland center and he usually walks as part of his regular exercise regime, carrying a sandwich, two blankets, a small pillow and a pair of headphones in his tote bag.

Arriving in the early evening, he is greeted by the friendly staff, settles into a specialized treatment chair, begins dialyzing, and watches cable TV and movies on his personal television until he falls asleep. Six to eight hours after arriving, he packs up his things and walks back home, refreshed.

Nocturnal dialysis is not always an easy sell – perhaps explaining why the number of patients taking advantage of it, while growing, remains low.

A common response from patients when hearing about the treatment is, “What? I need to give up a few nights of sleep in my own bed? Why on earth would I do that?”

But patients who try it out tend to see positive benefits very quickly, because receiving slower, steadier dialysis over a longer period of time puts less stress on their hearts and on their bodies in general. Also, up to 30 percent more toxins are removed from patients’ blood during nocturnal dialysis than during the faster daytime treatments.

“One of the things patients tell us is that with shorter daytime dialysis, they have a longer recovery time afterward,” says Sheila Doss-McQuitt Director of Clinical Programs and Research at Satellite Healthcare. “Patients receiving the longer, overnight treatment report their recovery time is greatly shortened. They can often just get up and go, to do whatever they want immediately following treatment.”

“I tell other patients all the time: nocturnal gives me the ability to have a life. I really feel the difference in my body than when I was on daytime dialysis,” attests Mattox. “When I first began it was an adjustment with the sleep, but I was able to rest a bit when I got home in the morning and then go to work feeling rejuvenated, with extra energy. No one I’ve worked for has even known I’m on dialysis – they can’t tell, and I don’t tell them.”

Published studies, and the Oakland patients’ own lab results, illustrate nocturnal’s benefits. Receiving slower, steadier dialysis over a longer period of time puts less stress on the heart.

An additional 30 percent more toxins are removed from patients’ blood than during the faster daytime treatments.

As a result, many patients with heart disease and hypertension – very common ailments – can decrease or even eliminate some medications. And, like Mattox, they tend to find they have more energy.

Mattox plans to begin looking for a new job soon, but for now he’s enjoying a hiatus from work. He can frequently be found walking his dog around Lake Merritt, checking out movies, reading, and simply, as he puts it, “getting out” as much as he can during the day.

He believes one of the most important things dialysis patients can do for themselves is to maintain a sense of empowerment. “Don’t let dialysis take control of you – you take control of it. Learn as much about dialysis as you can so you can have the best treatment possible.

For me, that’s nocturnal. Also, don’t depend on the dialysis machine to take care of your body – you’ve got to take care of it by eating the right foods and doing the right things. The machine is just an additional tool.”

In his role as Area Manager at Satellite Healthcare, Gregory Mignano oversees the Satellite Healthcare’s Oakland dialysis center. For more information visit SatelliteHealth.com.

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Rep. Kamlager-Dove Introduces Bill to Protect Women in Custody After Reports Detailing Miscarriages and Neglect

The Pregnant Women in Custody Act would expand safeguards beyond the federal prison system to include women detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the Office of Refugee Resettlement. The proposal follows reports of pregnant women being shackled, denied medical care and suffering miscarriages while in immigration detention.

Published

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May 17, 2026

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By Bo Tefu, California Black Media

Congresswoman Sydney Kamlager-Dove (D-CA-37) on May 7, reintroduced updated legislation aimed at strengthening protections and healthcare standards for pregnant and postpartum women held in federal custody, including in immigration detention facilities.

The Pregnant Women in Custody Act would expand safeguards beyond the federal prison system to include women detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the Office of Refugee Resettlement. The proposal follows reports of pregnant women being shackled, denied medical care and suffering miscarriages while in immigration detention.

The legislation builds on a bipartisan version previously passed by the House during the 117th Congress. The updated bill includes new standards for healthcare access, mental health and substance use treatment, high-risk pregnancy care, family unity protections and increased federal oversight.

“Proper pregnancy care is a human right, regardless of your immigration or incarceration status,” Kamlager-Dove said in a statement. “It’s unacceptable that there are virtually no legal safeguards for pregnant women in federal custody.”

The bill would also limit the use of restraints and restrictive housing for pregnant women, improve data collection on maternal health in custody and require additional staff training and enforcement measures.

Supporters of the measure said the legislation is intended to address long-standing concerns about maternal healthcare and safety in detention settings, particularly for Black women and low-income women who are disproportionately impacted by incarceration and health disparities.

“Pregnant women in custody should never be subjected to dangerous and inhumane treatment that threatens their health, dignity, or the well-being of their babies,” said Patrice Willoughby, chief of policy and legislative affairs for the NAACP and a longtime public policy and government affairs strategist, in a statement.

A 2021 report estimated there are about 58,000 admissions of pregnant women into U.S. jails and prisons each year. Kamlager’s statement also cited a recent investigation by NBC News and Bloomberg Law that identified allegations of severe mistreatment or medical neglect involving at least 54 pregnant women or families in county jails between 2017 and 2024.

Federal policy under the Department of Homeland Security restricts the detention of pregnant, postpartum and nursing immigrants except in extreme cases. However, the agency reported that ICE deported 363 pregnant, postpartum or nursing women between January 2025 and February 2026, including 16 recorded miscarriages during that period.

The bill is cosponsored by several House Democrats and backed by organizations including the NAACP and the Vera Institute of Justice.

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How Is AI Affecting California? The State Wants You to Share Your Story

The program marks the first time the state has opened the platform to all Californians. State officials said the effort is designed to give residents a direct role in discussions about how AI should be regulated and used as the technology rapidly expands across industries.

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May 17, 2026

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By Bo Tefu, California Black Media

Gov. Gavin Newsom announced May 7 that California is expanding its Engaged California digital democracy initiative statewide, inviting residents to help shape future state policies on artificial intelligence (AI) and its impact on jobs and the economy.

“We’ve got to be clear-eyed about this moment: AI is moving fast, bringing enormous opportunity, but also real risks,” Newsom said in a statement. “Californians deserve a seat at the table as we shape what’s to come.”

The initiative will roll out in two phases. Beginning immediately, Californians can sign up online to share how AI is affecting their work and communities and provide ideas for possible government action. Later this summer, a smaller group reflecting the state’s workforce demographics will participate in live discussions focused on developing policy recommendations.

State officials said the goal is to identify areas of agreement among Californians and provide policymakers with public feedback as the state develops future AI regulations and workforce strategies.

Engaged California is modeled after digital democracy programs used in Taiwan and is intended to encourage structured public discussion rather than social media-style debate. Officials described the effort as a form of “deliberative democracy” aimed at helping residents engage directly in state decision-making.

“The more Californians are engaged in the democratic process, the better able we’ll be to confront the challenges we face together,” said Nick Maduros, California Secretary of Government Operations, in a statement.

The statewide launch builds on two earlier pilot programs. One pilot gathered public input following the Los Angeles firestorms to help guide recovery efforts, while another collected ideas from state employees about improving government operations.

California has positioned itself as a national leader in AI policy and development. Since 2023, the Newsom administration has introduced initiatives focused on responsible AI use in government, cybersecurity protections, workforce training and regulations targeting risks such as deepfakes and AI-generated robocalls.

The state has also partnered with companies in Silicon Valley — including NVIDIA, Google, Adobe, IBM and Microsoft — to expand AI education and workforce training programs across California schools and universities.

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California Launches Free Diaper Program for Newborns Statewide

The initiative, called Golden State Start, will provide 400 free diapers to every newborn delivered at participating California hospitals beginning this summer. The state is partnering with Baby2Baby, a California-based nonprofit that distributes essential items to children in need nationwide.

Published

1 week ago

May 17, 2026

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By Bo Tefu, California Black Media

Gov. Gavin Newsom announced Friday that California will launch a first-in-the-nation program providing free diapers to families with newborns, part of a broader effort to lower costs for parents and improve infant health outcomes.

The initiative, called Golden State Start, will provide 400 free diapers to every newborn delivered at participating California hospitals beginning this summer. The state is partnering with Baby2Baby, a California-based nonprofit that distributes essential items to children in need nationwide.

State officials said hospitals participating in the program will give families the diapers when they are discharged after birth, helping parents leave with an immediate supply of newborn essentials.

“Every baby born in California deserves a healthy start in life,” Newsom said in a statement. He said the program is part of California’s broader affordability efforts, which also include free school meals, universal preschool for four-year-olds and expanded after-school programs.

The announcement comes ahead of Mother’s Day and is tied to the administration’s broader CalRx initiative, which aims to reduce costs for essential products and medications. State officials said California is also exploring ways to lower diaper prices by challenging high costs from major brands.

The first year of the program will prioritize hospitals serving large numbers of Medi-Cal patients, with plans to expand to additional hospitals and birthing centers over time. Officials said the effort is intended to reduce financial pressure on low-income families and improve infant and maternal health by ensuring parents have access to clean diapers.

“California families deserve to feel supported during one of life’s more exciting, yet vulnerable transitions,” First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom said in a statement. She said the program would allow parents to focus on caring for their newborns instead of worrying about basic supplies.

According to Baby2Baby, one in two families in the United States struggles to afford diapers. The organization has distributed more than half a billion items to children over the past 15 years through partnerships with shelters, hospitals, foster care programs and schools.

State officials said Baby2Baby will oversee diaper purchasing, warehousing and distribution through its existing hospital and community partnerships across California.