January 2017 PKD e-News
LEARN
Upcoming PKD Patient Forums in Winnipeg and Saskatoon
We will be hosting 2 FREE PKD Patient Forums in Winnipeg and Saskatoon on February 28 and March 1 respectively. If you, your family or loved ones live in either of these cities, join us and members of the local PKD community to learn more about PKD and what resources are available in Canada.
Patients and their loved ones are invited to join this forum to:
- Learn about what a PKD diagnosis can mean for you or a loved one, as well as how PKD can be managed;
- Hear about what resources and support systems are available to you and your loved ones from PKDFOC Executive Director, Jeff Robertson;
- Have your questions answered during a Q&A period; and
- Meet other people living with PKD in your community.
To learn more about these events and confirm your participation via online registration, click here!
Understanding the ties between depression and chronic kidney disease
For some PKD / CKD patients, depression and anxiety are daily hurdles they face on top of kidney disease. Read an insightful article on the link between depression and chronic kidney disease.
If you suffer from depression, always remember you are not alone! Reach out to your family, friends and medical health team to find local resources that may help you.
8 Golden rules for keeping your kidneys healthy
As we know, kidney diseases are silent killers, which will largely affect your quality of life. There are however several easy ways to reduce the risk of developing kidney disease.
The organization, World Kidney Day, recently shared their list of 8 golden rules for keeping your kidneys healthy, which you can read here.
Don't forget - World Kidney Day is March 9 this year! Stay tuned to endpkd.ca for some exciting PKD advocacy initiatives that we have planned for National Kidney Month and World Kidney Day!
AWARENESS
In Memoriam: Dr. Jared Grantham, Co-Founder of the PKD Foundation (US)
It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of esteemed PKD Foundation (US) Co-Founder Jared J. Grantham, M.D.
Dr. Grantham, who had been undergoing treatment for cancer, passed away Sunday, Jan. 22, at the age of 80. His brilliant career as a clinician and researcher spanned more than five decades, most of which were dedicated to advancing PKD research and science.
His determination to help PKD patients was unwavering and his many accomplishments were key to leading us closer to treatments and a cure for PKD. We are grateful for Dr. Grantham's steadfast support, commitment and vision that one day no one will have to suffer the full effects of PKD.
You can read more about Dr. Grantham's legacy.
National Post and the PKDFOC continue partnership for PKD awareness
Last month, we kicked off our four-part PKD series with the National Post with the first two installments, featuring the Osborne and Pekar families. This month, we were thrilled to have our two final PKD stories shared!
The third of our four-part polycystic kidney disease (PKD) series featured marketing executive, Jil Eisnor. Jil was diagnosed with PKD at the young age of 20, after mutating the gene, meaning she doesn't have a family history of this disease. She continues to embrace a healthy lifestyle to maintain her kidney function. Read more about Jil's story.
Our fourth and final National Post article featured Jan Robertson. Jan has been fighting polycystic kidney disease (PKD) for over 35 years, and even after two liver transplants, she isn't through yet. Hear about her courageous battle against PKD, and how she's inspired others to be advocates in the PKD community here.
Reader's Digest: PKD - What you should know
When Meg Tytler, a 51-year-old from Toronto, visited her family doctor for a routine checkup in 2005, she wasn't expecting to end up with a diagnosis of PKD.
You can read Meg's Reader's Digest article in its entirety. To access the article in French, click here.
Since this interview took place, Meg received her gift of life by way of a living kidney donation on December 8th 2016, and is well on the road to recovery post-transplant! We wish Meg the very best as she continues to heal and look forward to seeing her at upcoming Toronto Chapter events again in the very near future.
SUPPORT
New blog post: PKD Will Not Beat Me - "Celebrating You and 200 Posts!"
"The pain taught me how to write and the writing taught me how to heal."
-Harman Kaur
In honor of her 200th blog post on PKD Connection, Valen celebrates you - the readers who have tagged along for her PKD journey. Read the full post.
PKD Will Not Beat Me is an inspirational place for those seeking a positive environment to meet others with polycystic kidney disease (PKD) - to share stories, to ask questions and to make life-long friendships, encouraging each other to live positively along the way! PKD Will Not Beat Me is written by PKD patient and transplant recipient Valen Keefer.