October 2024 Issue | PKD e-News
Welcome to the October e-News from the PKD Foundation of Canada! This month we have information about PKD patient Eric Hampel's Kilimanjaro Climb, your burning PKD questions, carbohydrates and PKD, and more!
Kilimanjaro Success!
On Wednesday, October 16 at approximately 1:00am local time in Africa, on the 8th day of his Kilimanjaro trek, PKD patient Eric Hampel began hiking through the darkness with his team, Peaky Climbers, for his summit push.
A few hours later, he successfully reached the highest point in Africa, and rested for a short time on Uhuru Peak before starting his descent.
We're thrilled for Eric, and also grateful that he has used his Kilimanjaro challenge to draw attention to polycystic kidney disease, and raise funds for PKD research and patient supports.
Read the Details of Eric's 9-Day Kili Adventure
Support Eric's PKD Fundraiser!
How Difficult Is Kilimanjaro?
Did you know that more than half of all Kilimanjaro climbers experience altitude sickness, and about 65% don't make it to the top?
Altitude and extreme weather conditions are often the biggest hurdles, which makes Eric's achievement this week even more meaningful.
Learn About the Dangers of Kilimanjaro
Walk to END PKD
Our 2024 Walk to END PKD season is winding down, with only one more event this weekend - our first ever PKD Picnic at the Kidney Walk in Halifax.
Sun Oct 20
DeWolf Park, Bedford NS
10am registration opens
11am Kidney Walk starts
12pm PKD Picnic served
We're thrilled to have surpassed 80% of our 2024 goal. Thank you to all of our fundraisers, donors and sponsors for making this year's walks so successful.
All of the individual and team fundraising pages will remain open until end of this month. It's not too late to inspire those last donations for PKD research and patient support!
Your PKD Questions
At our recent virtual PKD Patient Forums, we collected a number of your questions and asked three nephrologists for the answers.
Questions like:
- Can my nephrologist tell me how quickly my PKD will progress?
- How often should I get imaging tests to monitor my kidneys?
- What does an eGFR test measure?
- How do I tell the difference between cyst pain and other types of pain?
- Is my anemia caused by PKD?
- Does an estrogen patch affect PKD and PLD cyst growth?
- Is there a cut-off age to receive a kidney transplant?
- After a kidney transplant, does the new kidney grow cysts?
This month's PKD Mind Matters Chat is a chance to talk with others affected by PKD about what we've learned from our patient forums, and collect any follow-up questions to ask the nephrologists.
A reminder that our PKD Mind Matters Chats are different from our educational webinars. There's no formal speaker, and to protect participant confidentiality the event will not be recorded or available for viewing afterwards, if you can’t attend the live event.
Event Survey
Take our 10-second survey and let us know when you'd most like to attend our virtual learning, support and social events!
FREE 2024 PKD Summit
Our annual FREE virtual PKD Summit is returning again this year, with presentations planned on these topics:
- Mental health and PKD
- Caregiver burnout
- Integrated care teams for PKD
- Metabolic health and its effect on PKD
- Debunking PKD nutrition myths
- PKD research in 2024
- Transitioning from pediatric to adult care for ARPKD and ADPKD patients
Wed Nov 6 - afternoon (EST)
Thu Nov 7 - afternoon (EST)
Registrations will be opening soon - watch our emails and social media posts for more details!
Understanding Carbs & PKD
You may have heard about the keto diet and PKD. In this month’s blog post, Emily Campbell, a registered dietitian and certified diabetes educator, explains carbohydrates, and what to consider when choosing them if you have PKD.
Other Events and News
PKD Peer Support Meetings
Did you know that the Kidney Foundation of Canada, in partnership with the PKD Foundation of Canada, holds a monthly peer support meeting for people affected by PKD?
The November PKD peer support meeting will be:
Thu Nov 14 from 6 to 730pm
Kidney Health Petition
Kidney disease is one of the leading causes of death globally, but public awareness is low. Let’s urge global leaders to make kidney health a priority now!
The International Society of Nephrology has a goal to secure 1 million signatures on their petition by the end of this year.
Learn More and Sign the Petition
More
- Explore our PKD blog, full of informative PKD articles and patient stories, here.
- Browse our upcoming PKD events, here.
- Make a donation to PKD research or patient education and supports today!
- Sign up for our e-newsletter, to receive regular PKD news and updates like this!