September 2023 PKD e-News
Welcome to the PKD Foundation of Canada's MONTH e-News! We have provided information important to helping you take action in your journey with PKD.
To view the e-News in French click here!
SUPPORT
There's still time to register for the Walk to END PKD!
Moving westward across the country this month, there are still a few Walks yet to come – including the Virtual Walk to END PKD this Saturday, September 23, 2023! The remaining in-person Walks will be held in Toronto (Sept 24th) and Winnipeg (Oct 1st). We hope you will join us in the fight to #endPKD!
Register below for your city’s Walk to END PKD, or choose to take the path less traveled, and register for the Virtual Walk to END PKD!
The funds raised through our Walk to END PKD campaign go towards critical Canadian research and Fellowship funding, as well as strengthening our mission to promote programs of research, education, advocacy, awareness and support for those living with PKD.
Bingo! Raising funds for the PKD Foundation of Canada in Newmarket ON
If you’re in the Newmarket area, it’s not too late to play bingo for the PKD Foundation of Canada!
Market Brewing Company is once again donating the proceeds from their September bingo nights to us. We hope to see you on Thursday Sept. 29th from 7pm-9pm! Bingo books are $25 for 5 rounds, and $10 from each book sale will benefit the PKD Foundation of Canada.
AWARENESS
Growing support across Canada for PKD Awareness Day!
We are so grateful for the amount of support we received from communities across Canada for the 2023 #PKDAwarenessDay campaign. THANK YOU to the 66 municipalities (up from 49 last year!) who showed their support through proclamations, flag-raisings, and landmark lightings across the country. We couldn’t be more appreciative of the volunteers, chapter coordinators, councillors and mayors who made this happen. Together, we will #endPKD!
To view the list of supporting communities, visit endpkd.ca/pkdawarenessday_2023!
Voices of PKD: Elyse, Coquitlam BC
“I wish more people understood that PKD affects a lot of Canadians, but it’s still very under-researched. In 2023, there is currently only one option to potentially slow the progression of the disease (and only for a small portion of patients). We need more funding and research so that patients can have options!”
Read Elyse's story, and share your own, at endpkd.ca/voices_of_pkd!
Patient Voice: Nick
“I think about my polycystic kidney disease and how disproportionately burdened Indigenous communities are with such chronic illnesses. I think about my ongoing mental health challenges — ADHD, PTSD, depression — and how entangled they are with intergenerational trauma.”
Nick is such an inspiration – we are privileged to share his PKD journey with the world, via Patient Voice Canada. Read Nick’s story here.
LEARN
Cardiovascular Health and PKD
This month’s blog post, Emily Campbell registered dietitian, writes about cardiovascular health and PKD. Did you know that protecting your heart and kidneys can go hand in hand?
Plus, check out this delicious trail mix recipe, that would be perfect to take to an event like the Walk to END PKD.
Save the date: 2023 PKD Summit!
The PKD Summit is just around the corner! Virtual events will be held on Friday, November 17, from 10am-4pm EST. These events are an opportunity for the PKD medical community, renal healthcare professionals, PKD patients, their families, and loved ones to connect and hear presentations from top Canadian and International Key Opinion Leaders in the field of PKD.
Stay tuned in the coming weeks for more details on registration and event topics! We hope you can join us.
Upcoming Vancouver PKD Patient Forum! Free!
For those of you in BC, we hope you can make it to our FREE Vancouver PKD Patient Forum on Wednesday, October 18, 2023. Dr. Mike will be sharing an Overview of PKD in 2023 - the current state of research, treatment options, and much more.
WHEN
Wednesday, October 18, 2023
On-site registration and light reception 6pm-6:30pm
Main presentation - An Overview of PKD in 2023 - 6:30pm-8:30pm
WHERE
Vancouver Marriott Pinnacle Downtown Hotel, Point Grey Room
1128 West Hastings Street
Vancouver, BC V6E 4R5
Check out the event on our website, or click below to register now.
Pain and PKD
September is international Pain Awareness Month. Pain can be one of the symptoms of PKD, whether from an enlarged kidney or liver, bursting cysts, kidney stones, urinary tract infections, or other reasons.
BC Renal and the PKD Foundation of Canada have put together a very useful resource for pain self-management, and this resource is now available in Punjabi, Simplified Chinese and Traditional Chinese, in addition to English and French.
In the news: Surgeons continue to work on animal-to-human kidney transplants!
Doctors have transplanted pig kidneys into bodies donated to research, and one kidney has worked for over a month. With more than 100,000 patients on the waitlist for a transplant in the U.S., it's a crucial step in the quest to one day use animal organs to save human lives. Read the article and watch the accompanying video, here.