July 2024 issue | PKD e-News
Welcome to the July e-News from the PKD Foundation of Canada! This month we have information on the 2024 Walk to END PKD, kidney stones, new learning events, and more!
Walk to END PKD
Registration is now open for the 2024 Walk to END PKD!
This year, we’re going coast-to-coast with Walks in Vancouver, Calgary, Guelph, Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal, and our first partnered event with The Kidney Foundation of Canada in Halifax.
And if you're not able to attend a Walk to END PKD in your area, you can sign up for the Virtual Walk.
September 8 - Halifax
September 8 - Guelph
September 14 - Calgary
September 15 - Ottawa
September 22 - Montreal
September 22 - Vancouver
September 29 - Toronto
Patient Forums
We're holding FREE, in-person PKD Patient Forums in Halifax, Vancouver and Winnipeg this fall!
Join us to learn about PKD and ask questions of a nephrologist, hear a patient story, and meet others with PKD in your community.
September 7 - Halifax
September 21 - Vancouver
October 5 - Winnipeg
PKD Awareness Day
Wednesday, September 4, 2024 is PKD Awareness Day!
We're looking for PKD Community Ambassadors to help raise local awareness about PKD in your community:
- Request a municipal proclamation
- Request a flag-raising ceremony
- Request a landmark lighting
Voices of PKD - Kim
This month Kim talks about her experience with both PKD and polycystic liver disease (PLD), and how both have affected her physical wellbeing, mental health, and body image.
"...[H]aving the equivalent of 4½ footballs inside your abdomen changes your shape, and my abdomen sticks out quite a bit now.
"I am SO very self-conscious, and feel very embarrassed about how I look. I worry that I will be judged by others, and do not socialize as much as I used to, since I am just not comfortable."
Kim also talks about her experience on the drug tolvaptan, and the creative way that she copes with mental health challenges.
Body Image & PKD
Can you relate to Kim's body-image experiences with PKD, above?
Would you like to talk with others going through the same thing, in a safe, confidential online social hour?
Our July PKD Mind Matters Chat is about Body Image and PKD, and we will be joined by two PKD patients who struggle with the physical changes that PKD can cause.
Video Now On YouTube
The video recording of our June webinar on the topic of Living Kidney Donation is now available to watch on our YouTube channel!
Webinar: Find a Living Donor
One of the most frequent questions we've had from PKD patients at our 2024 kidney transplant learning events is, "How do I actually find a living kidney donor?"
We've heard you! Our August webinar is on exactly this topic: How to reach out to the broader community for your own kidney donor appeal.
The presenters will include a staff person from the Centre for Living Kidney Donation at UHN in Toronto, who is herself a living kidney transplant recipient, as well as another living kidney transplant recipient who held a successful kidney donor appeal.
PKD Mind Matters Chat
For our August PKD Mind Matters Chat, we'll be talking about any remaining questions you may have about living kidney donor appeals after our August webinar.
Join others going through the same thing as you, in a safe, confidential online social hour.
Kidney Stones
Living with PKD and worried about kidney stones? Emily Campbell, a registered dietitian, shares vital tips to reduce your risk through nutrition.
Learn how hydration, specific foods, and key nutrients can help prevent stones and protect your kidney health. Empower yourself today!
Eric's Peaks for PKD Update
Eric Hampel is continuing to train for his attempt to ascend Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, Africa, this October.
His climb is raising awareness and funds for the PKD Foundation of Canada, to further PKD research and provide patient supports.
In our latest Peaks for PKD blog, Eric shares his inspiration to attempt this challenging endeavour.
I want to support Eric's PKD fundraiser!
Are you interested in starting your own Peaks for PKD fundraising campaign?
I want to start my own Peaks for PKD fundraiser!
Staying Hydrated
As the weather heats up, staying hydrated is top-of-mind for everyone - especially those with PKD.
In this recent blog post, we've collected all of our kidney-friendly beverage recipes and hydration tips in one convenient place. Cheers!
Voices of PKD - Omar
This month we have a second Voices of PKD story - this time from a young man with ARPKD.
Omar shares how being diagnosed with PKD has led him to refine his future career aspirations.