March is Kidney Health Month, when BC Renal and health organizations around the world focus on the importance of healthy kidneys and early detection of kidney disease.
Main risk factors for kidney disease include diabetes, heart/circulation disease, family history of kidney disease, high blood pressure, and ethnicity. To learn more about these and other risk factors, and to see if you should see a family doctor, take BC Renal’s free self-assessment quiz at
KidneyHealthCheck.ca.
Lived experience with kidney disease
BC Renal patient partner Thomas Ng has decades of first-hand experience living with kidney disease. At 13 years old, he was diagnosed with lupus nephritis, an autoimmune condition that causes inflammation of the kidneys, and is more common in people of Asian, African and Hispanic ethnicities. By the time Thomas was an undergrad at UBC, his kidney function had deteriorated severely and he regularly needed life-sustaining dialysis. Now years later, after countless treatments and two life-sustaining kidney transplants, he has considerable insight into the benefits of detecting kidney disease early.
“Unfortunately, kidney disease often presents with subtle symptoms such as loss of appetite or fatigue, which can be easily overlooked,” says Thomas. “Early detection of kidney disease is crucial, as there are numerous treatment options available to prevent further damage. In some cases, when caught early, deteriorated kidney function can be partially restored with appropriate treatments.”
Gloria Freeborn, who’s BC Renal’s director of strategic initiatives, education and development, adds, “People can lose up to 80% of kidney function before they notice any symptoms. When kidney disease is diagnosed early, it can often be managed through changes in lifestyle and medication, avoiding kidney failure and the need for dialysis or a kidney transplant.”
#KidneyHealthChallenge
While some kidney diseases are inherited, others are rooted in choices we make in our day-to-day lives. To help maintain healthy kidneys, see our short video,
31 Tips for Good Kidney Health, which focuses on keeping active, reducing stress, and making healthier choices of what we eat and drink. The video is available in
English,
Chinese (中文) and
Punjabi (ਪੰਜਾਬੀ) and is meant for people who haven’t been diagnosed with kidney disease.
Thanks to The Kidney Foundation of Canada, BC & Yukon Branch, for partnering with us on these and other Kidney Health Month campaigns!
