March 2025 Issue | PKD e-News
Welcome to the March e-News from the PKD Foundation of Canada! This month we're talking about Kidney Month, what to eat with PKD, upcoming learning events, and more!
10 for 10 Challenge
Can $10 a month change lives? This March, we’re inviting you to take the 10 for 10 Challenge - a simple way to make a real difference for people affected by PKD. By donating just $10 a month for 10 months, you’ll help fund vital research, receive exclusive updates, and be recognized for your support.
Ready to be part of something bigger? Join the challenge today and help push PKD research forward, one small gift at a time!
31 Days of PKD in March
This Kidney Month we're posting daily insights about PKD and kidney health. Follow along and share on Facebook or Instagram. Login to My PKD for free, exclusive, members-only deep dives every day.
Topics include PKD nutrition, exercise, mental health, treatments, and more - all focusing on the most up-to-date info from the 2025 KDIGO ADPKD Guideline.
Not a member of My PKD yet? Request to join today!
PKD Peer Support
In our February webinar, therapist Joy Pekar explored medical trauma and PKD, highlighting how chronic illness, medical procedures, and uncertainty can take an emotional toll.
During this month’s PKD Mind Matters chat, Joy will hold space to share your experiences, reflect on the webinar, and connect with others who understand what it’s like to experience PKD.
Tue 25 Mar @ 12 noon ET
Peer support meetings like this can help reduce isolation, validate your experiences, and offer coping strategies from others who truly understand. The session will not be recorded, so be sure to attend live.
Mental Health Videos
Watch mental health videos made specifically for people affected by PKD.
We've received great feedback from the second webinar, with attendees saying they felt heard and understood about their experiences with medical trauma and medical gaslighting.
Mental Health Resources
Access our growing library of mental health resources on My PKD. Don't know where to start? Start here!
Kidney Foundation Meetings
Did you know that the Kidney Foundation of Canada has a number of different peer support meetings each month, including one for PKD?
Other special interest groups include:
- Transplant
- Youth
- End-stage Renal Failure
- Dialysis
- Chinese
Register for the April PKD Meeting
Transplant Webinars
Are you, or is someone you know, looking for a living kidney or liver donor? The Centre for Living Organ Donation at UHN (Toronto) holds a number of webinars on topics like:
- How to find a living organ donor
- Living kidney donation
- Living liver donation
We list every event on My PKD - login anytime to view and register for these upcoming events.
KDIGO ADPKD Guideline
In January 2025, KDIGO, a global organization that creates guidelines for kidney disease care, released the first-ever guide for diagnosing and treating ADPKD.
Join Canadian kidney specialist Dr. Matthew Lanktree and PKD patient partner Henry Osei-Agyekum as they explain what this guideline means for doctors and patients. They’ll also answer common questions about ADPKD treatment.
Wed 26 Mar @ 7pm EDT
The event will include a live Q&A session.
Organ Donation Advocacy
Join us for a special Zoom webinar during National Organ and Tissue Donation Awareness Week (April 21–25, 2025).
Hosted by the PKD Foundation of Canada, this event features Kris Woods, a living kidney donor and provincial director of the Canadian Transplant Association in the Maritimes, and Joanna, a PKD patient who received Kris’s kidney.
Tue 22 Apr 2025 @ 7pm EDT
Kris and Joanna will share their inspiring story and discuss the challenges kidney patients and living donors face, especially in Atlantic Canada.
What Can I Eat?
Are you tired of only hearing about foods you can't eat with PKD? This month, registered dietitian and certified diabetes educator Emily Campbell shares a different approach.
Learn about foods you can choose to help your kidneys at any stage of PKD. These healthy choices can improve your diet and your overall health.
Kidney-Friendly Soup
Included in this month's Kidney Nutrition blog is this delicious minestrone soup recipe from Emily Campbell.
It emphasizes plant-based protein, fibre, and vegetables to support your health while warming your stomach. Perfect for lunch on a cool day!
PKD Stories in the News
My PKD has a live feed that’s updated often with stories from PKD patients around the world, including Canada, the U.S., England, New Zealand, Africa, and Asia.
Log in to read their inspiring stories and learn how they’re raising PKD awareness!
PKD Research Updates
There's so much going on in the world of PKD research!
From discovering more about PKD genes and cellular processes to testing new treatments and transplant solutions, you can keep up-to-date with the latest PKD research on My PKD!
Green Shirt Day
In April the focus moves from kidney health to organ and tissue donation, with Green Shirt Day on April 7, and National Organ and Tissue Donation Awareness Week during the third week of the month.
Raise awareness about organ donation, register to donate, and encourage others to do so too!