Gov. Terry Branstad will sign a proclamation today at 10:15 a.m. declaring March Kidney Month in the state of Iowa.

“Many people don’t realize how important their kidneys are to their good health,” said Jodi Enger, National Kidney Foundation of Iowa executive director. “We tend to forget about these two small organs that are located in our lower backs.”

Kidneys perform several key functions for the body besides filtering wastes.

They also produce several hormones, one of which helps the body make red blood cells to prevent a low blood count and anemia. Another hormone it produces helps regulate blood pressure.

Kidneys also help keep bones strong by making an activated form of vitamin D.

This month, Enger and the foundation will try to get the word out about how important kidneys are, about warning signs for kidney problems and about donating organs.

Some early warning signs of kidney problems are urinating more than usual, getting up at night to go to the bathroom, swelling hands and feet and the area around the eyes, pain in the lower back, blood in urine, pain or burning when urinating and high blood pressure.

Many of these signs cannot be detected without doctor-administered tests. For example, many times blood in urine cannot be seen without a microscope. Also, elevated blood pressure and blood sugar levels may not cause any noticeable symptoms either.

The National Kidney Foundation of Iowa encourages people to get regular checkups that include tests for blood pressure, blood sugar and kidney function.

Kidney disease can occur at any age, said Laura Price, an intern at the foundation. “Because people are living older now, we’re seeing more kidney disease,” she said.

About 300 people are on a waiting list in Iowa for a kidney donation, Enger said.

“Everywhere I go we take organ donation cards and encourage people to sign them,” Enger said.

She said a lot of people have misconceptions about organ donation, compounded by the myth being circulated on the Internet about people taking organs illegally.

“It’s gotten way out of hand,” she said.

Some misconceptions she mentioned were that it costs money to be a donor, that it is against religious beliefs or that it disfigures the donor.

Enger said she will be in Des Moines today visiting dialysis and transplant units and talking to professional staff as well as patients to get ideas about what the Kidney Foundation can do to help them.

Enger will also be talking to the Des Moines Police Department about the Kidney Cars Program, a program where people donate cars to the Kidney Foundation which uses the proceeds from the sales of the cars.