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Alberta Government Gives Grant to Kidney Foundation for Living Donor Expense Program
July 7, 2010 - A $200,000 grant has been provided by the Government of Alberta to the Kidney Foundation of Canada to establish a Living Organ Donor Expense Reimbursement Program in Alberta. The program will reimburse an Albertan who donates a kidney, partial lung or liver, for some costs associated with the organ donation process.

“We need to encourage more Albertans to consider organ donation,” said Minister of Health and Wellness Gene Zwozdesky. “This important program is one way in which we can help and support living donors who have chosen to give the gift of life. Increasing the number of organ donations will, in turn, reduce wait times for Albertans needing an organ transplant.”

The Living Organ Donor Expense Reimbursement Program will reimburse a living organ donor for reasonable travel and accommodation expenses at the final stage of the assessment process as well as meals and accommodation following transplant surgery. If an individual cannot work during the recovery period, a loss of income subsidy may also be provided.

“About 375 Albertans with kidney failure are waiting for a life-saving organ,” said Heidi Erisman, Executive Director of The Kidney Foundation’s Northern Alberta Branch. “A kidney transplant from a living donor is considered a preferred treatment. It tremendously improves the quality of life and health of the recipient.”

The maximum funding available through the program is $5,500 for each living donor.

“Patients often require several years of dialysis before a transplant can be obtained,” underscored Paul Shay, National Executive Director of The Kidney Foundation. “There is a significant cost saving when there is a successful transplant – and most transplants are successful.“

Download the full press release (pdf)
CA-Plus Delivers Cost Saving Solution To The Kidney Foundation Of Canada
June 23, 2010 - With one national office, 10 branches across Canada, and complex financial reporting requirements, The Kidney Foundation wanted one solution nationwide and turned to Sage Accpac ERP and CA-Plus Inc. to keep the organization’s accounting operation strong. “Financial information even a day later is a day too late, as it focuses on history and we are already in the present making decisions about the future,” says Kathy Mavrakis, National Director of Finance and Administration for the Foundation. “With the timely numbers we’re getting now we are able to focus our efforts to meet targets,” Mavrakis adds. “Now we also have the time for value-added analysis and can offer management meaning and insight behind the numbers that we simply didn’t have time for before.”

“With the help of CA-Plus, we are more proactive. We are able to build benchmarks, set standards, perform comparisons, and streamline our operations,” concludes Paul Shay, National Executive Director of The Kidney Foundation of Canada. “This is essential for us as it enables us to focus our efforts and resources on our mission of helping to reduce the burden of kidney disease.”

Download the CA-Plus Inc press release for more details

About CA-Plus Inc.
CA-Plus Business Solutions (www.caplus.com) specializes in complete implementation, support, and training for the multi-award winning Sage Accpac ERP, Sage ERP X3, Sage WMS, Sage CRM, Sage Abra HRMS and Sage BusinessVision Solution.
Announcing the 2010 Kidney Stories of Hope Awardees

May 17, 2010 - The Kidney Foundation of Canada (KFOC) is pleased to announce the awardees of its second annual Kidney Stories of Hope campaign. Five compelling stories were selected by The Kidney Foundation’s panel of judges and each of their authors receives a $500 cash prize made possible through an unrestricted grant from Shire Canada.

The Kidney Stories of Hope campaign empowers Canadians affected by kidney disease to share their personal experiences while participating in a national effort to promote kidney education and research during March, Kidney Health Month. For each entry, the Foundation also received $5 in funding from campaign partner, Shire Canada. Many heartfelt submissions came from across the country, and those awarded each act as a testament to the courage, strength and determination required by those confronted with kidney disease.

Please join us in congratulating the 2010 Kidney Stories of Hope campaign awardees from five regions across Canada:

  • Elaine Andrews - West Vancouver, BC
  • Brenda Delorme – St. Adolphe, MB (Prairies awardee)
  • Debbie Underwood – Zephyr, ON
  • Liz MacRae - Notre Dame de l'Île Perrot, QC
  • Pamela St. Pierre - North Tetagouche, NB (Atlantic awardee)

“Public education and awareness campaigns, kidney research and services, and appropriate and timely treatment are all vital to reducing the burden of kidney disease on individuals and the Canadian health care system,” said Paul Shay, National Executive Director of The Kidney Foundation of Canada. “The Kidney Stories of Hope campaign provides a platform for members of the kidney community to share their story of hope with a wider audience while helping to raise funds for essential kidney related programs and services. We thank all contributors for their powerful testimonials and particularly congratulate the 2010 awardees.”

To read this year’s prized entries go to www.kidney.ca/storiesofhope  

Download the full press release (pdf)
Donors are Needed to Meet the Demand for Organ Transplants
April 18, 2010 - April 18-25 is National Organ and Tissue Donation Awareness Week. Did you know that Canada is currently not able to meet the growing demand for organs? In fact, Canada’s organ donation rate doesn’t even rank among the world’s top ten.

The first successful kidney transplant was performed in 1958 between identical twin sisters at the Royal Victoria Hospital in Montreal by Dr. John Dosseter, who later became one of the founders of The Kidney Foundation of Canada. Kidney transplantation has since become the treatment of choice for many of the thousands of Canadians whose kidneys have failed.  

Test your Transplant Knowledge: www.kidney.ca/quiz-transplant
Learn more on organ and tissue donation in Canada

Canadian Blood Services is the organization mandated by the Deputy Ministers of Health to improve the organ and tissue donation and transplantation system in Canada. It is holding public consultations across Canada to gather input and insight. You too can have your say by registering to attend a consultation or hosting your own Kitchen Table Conversation on the issue and submitting your feedback. For more information on what you can do, visit www.blood.ca/speakup.
Fifty-Seven Percent Increase in Kidney Failure over 10 years
March 17, 2010 - More than 36,600 Canadians were living with end-stage renal disease, otherwise known as kidney failure, at the end of 2008 - an increase of 57% since 1999. According to a new report from the Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI),  about three out of five of these patients (21,754) were on dialysis and two out of five (14,884) were living with a functioning kidney transplant.

The report, Treatment of End-Stage Organ Failure in Canada, 1999 to 2008 draws on data from CIHI’s Canadian Organ Replacement Register (CORR) to examine dialysis and transplantation characteristics and trends in Canada. The annual report found that in 2008, there were more than 5,000 new kidney failure cases in Canada.

Overall, 2,080 transplants of solid organs were performed in Canada in 2008. These included kidney (1,216), liver (453), lung (165), heart (164) and pancreas (82) transplants.

Download the CIHI report Treatment of End-Stage Organ Failure in Canada, 1999 to 2008
Watch CBC The National's coverage of the report

Diabetic Kidney Disease – A Bet Canadians Can Beat
March 11, 2010 -  The fifth World Kidney Day - March 11, 2010 - is a pressing, global reminder for Canadians to get in the know about diabetic kidney disease. Research has shown that in population-based surveys, less than 10% were able to identify diabetes as a risk factor for kidney disease. And a recent Leger Marketing survey by The Kidney Foundation of Canada shows Canadians don't know that diabetes is one of the most frequent causes of end-stage kidney disease, which requires life-saving treatments to stay alive. It is critical for Canadians to know diabetic kidney disease is dangerous and can often be managed, even beaten.

Early detection and management of diabetes and kidney disease are terribly important for avoiding heart disease and demanding end-stage kidney disease treatments such as dialysis. “There are roughly 2 million Canadians with – or at risk for - some degree of impaired kidney function. For 20 years, we saw a steady growth rate in the number of people starting dialysis in Canada,” notes Dr. Michael Copland, a nephrologist and Chair of The Kidney Foundation's Public Policy Council. “But in the last couple of years, the rate has reached a plateau. It’s very possible that the aggressive early detection and intervention of kidney disease that has been going on for the last 10 years is beginning to show positive results.”

While early disease intervention is possible and the treatments are increasingly successful, the science can't help Canadians who remain in the dark about diabetes being a major risk factor for end-stage kidney disease. “Public knowledge is not keeping pace with medical advances,” says Paul Shay, National Executive Director of The Kidney Foundation of Canada. “And it's why our Branches coast-to-coast hold community and public education activities on World Kidney Day and throughout the month of March to remind Canadians about the important link between diabetes, kidney health and heart health.”

Canadians can test their kidney saviness, by taking The Kidney Foundation’s online kidney quiz at www.kidney.ca/quiz. And they can take an active role in learning how diabetes can be controlled and how to better manage kidney disease, by consulting the Diabetes and Kidney Disease brochure and Eating Guidelines for Diabetes and Chronic Kidney Disease fact sheet, both available online at www.kidney.ca/brochures.

World Kidney Day takes place annually, every second Thursday of March. This global health awareness campaign focuses on the importance of kidneys and reducing the frequency and impact of kidney disease and its associated health problems worldwide.

For more information on the World Kidney Day events taking place in Canadian communities
For more information on World Kidney Day activities around the world
Download the full press release (pdf)
Survey Reveals Canadians Don’t Fully Understand the Vital Importance of Their Kidneys
March 2, 2010 - Are you kidney clever? Although 2 million Canadians have, or are at risk for, kidney disease, a Leger Marketing survey* reveals that 44% of Canadians don't identify the kidney as a vital organ. Kidney disease often progresses quietly reducing kidney function before any symptoms appear. The survey showed that most Canadians are unaware of its causes. In fact, nearly 60% of Canadians are unaware that the two most common causes of end-stage kidney disease are diabetes and high blood pressure – illnesses that are often preventable.

Kathryn Richardson, National President for The Kidney Foundation of Canada says the survey results indicate it’s time for Canadians to become kidney clever and learn what kidney disease really means.  “Although most Canadians know the kidneys help remove waste from the body, the majority - over 85% - don't know that kidneys produce hormones that help control blood pressure or that kidneys play a role in promoting strong and healthy bones. In fact the kidney is a major organ like the heart or lungs. It actually affects heart health. What's more, kidney disease can develop into a life-long illness with no cure if left untreated and unmanaged.”



If diagnosed early, kidney disease can often be controlled. Knowing risk factors like diabetes and high blood pressure is critical. People who are over 55 years of age or from certain populations such as First Nation, Hispanic, African American and Asian are also at risk.  

To find out if you’re at risk for kidney disease, consult the brochure Am I at Risk from The Kidney Foundation of Canada.

To find out if you’re kidney clever, take the quiz at www.kidney.ca/quiz


For media inquiries:
Irene Aguzzi
Manager, National Public Affairs
514-369-4806, ext. 227
Irene@kidney.ca


* Methodology
Leger Marketing conducted an online survey of 1,521 adult Canadians to determine their level of awareness of the kidneys’ function and the severity of kidney disease in Canada. The national survey was conducted between August 17 and August 20, 2009. The results are considered accurate within a margin of error of +/-2.5%, 19 times out of 20.
March is Kidney Health Month
March 1, 2010 - During Kidney Health Month dedicated Canadians from across the country work to raise awareness of the importance of kidney health. This March, Shire Canada Inc. is renewing last year's inaugural partnership with The Kidney Foundation of Canada in support of The Kidney Stories of Hope campaign (www.kidney.ca/storiesofhope). This unique initiative directly engages Canadians and offers persons affected by kidney disease a chance to promote kidney education and research by sharing their personal experiences.

More about the Kidney Stories of Hope Campaign

Read the press release from Shire Canada Inc.

PD Patient Sailing Solo Across the Atlantic
Jean-Louis Clémendot, a 59 year-old sailing enthusiast and continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) patient, left the island of Lanzarote in Spain on November 30 and has been sailing since across the Atlantic, heading for the Carribean island of Martinique.  


Mr Clémendot loves the sea of course but he also has a mission: to demonstrate to other kidney patients that peritoneal dialysis (PD) has not taken away the freedom to sail. He hopes to be an inspiration to the 1,700,000 dialysis patients around the world and show that you can continue to live life to the fullest despite kidney disease.

You can follow his adventure, the first of its kind world-wide, on his website: www.jeanlouisclemendot.fr.
There is no cure for kidney disease, and a recent survey shows Canadians don’t know. So now what?
To listen to the Audio News Release  (script 2)
For Quick Facts and Stats on kidney disease 

What do kidneys do? A recent survey by The Kidney Foundation of Canada reveals Canadians don’t know
To listen to the Audio News Release  (script 1)
Learn why kidneys are so important
Donors and recipients from Canada’s first domino transplant tell their story
September 24, 2009 - Canada's first domino kidney transplant took place in June 2009. Now the donors and recipients have more to say on how organ donation can transform lives for the better.

Read the full story in The Globe and Mail

The organ donor who started this chain of events, Ms. Lisa Sayer, will answer questions online about her experience in the Sept. 29 online edition of The Globe and Mail. You may submit a question to Ms Sayer by email until Friday Sept. 25 at 2 p.m.

Find out how to submit a question to Ms. Sayer
Study Suggests Alternative to Kidney Transplant
August 25, 2009 - Kidney transplants are the gold-standard of care for patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD). But given the shortage of organs available for transplantation, researchers are studying the value of alternative treatments. According to the results of a 12-year Canadian study, the odds of surviving kidney failure may be as good for patients on overnight home hemodialysis as they are for kidney transplant recipients. The Toronto Star reports that this finding was received with caution by other experts in the field who maintain that kidney transplantation remains the treatment of choice for ESRD.

Read the article published in the Toronto Star
New, Unified Web Presence for The Kidney Foundation
August 17, 2009 - The Kidney Foundation of Canada today re-launched Kidney.ca, the bilingual, go-to website for the kidney community in Canada. The new site brings all Foundation branch websites under the Kidney.ca umbrella, providing strengthened, consistent branding, regular content updates and exciting new features. 

Read more on the new features available on kidney.ca (pdf)
Announcing the New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island Branch
May 7, 2009 - In order to support the mission of The Kidney Foundation of Canada in the most efficient manner possible, the provinces of New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island will henceforth be served by one Branch called the New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island Branch.

We will maintain the Foundation's vibrant presence across the two provinces and we will continue to strengthen volunteer engagement in the Foundation in order to further reduce the burden of kidney disease.


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Kidney Foundation of Canada Funded Study Identifies Barriers to Living Kidney Donation

A study published in Nephrology Dialysis and Transplantation by a group of Albertan researchers led by Ms. Lianne Barnieh, supported by a Kidney Foundation Allied Health Doctoral Fellowship, explored for the first time in Canada the barriers to living kidney donation for eligible kidney transplant patients.

The most frequently reported barriers identified by potential recipients were not knowing how to ask someone for a kidney and fear either for themselves (the transplant not functioning) or donor (future health implications). Kidney disease patients who understood the living donation process or that the donation did not pose significant long-term risk to the donor were more likely to have had discussions with potential donors

Dr. Barnieh’s study suggests “that providing appropriate information about living donation, which can be delivered within a structured educational intervention, could influence the decision to discuss and seek a living donor.”

“This is an extremely important study”, says Paul Shay, National Executive Director of The Kidney Foundation of Canada. “The more we understand people’s perceptions, belief and behaviors in the organ donation process the better we can design educational programs to empower people regarding organ donation.”

For more information on The Kidney Foundation of Canada contact Wim Wolfs, National Director Research, at 514-531-2212 (cell.) or wim.wolfs@kidney.ca.

View the article in Nephrology Dialysis and Transplantation
Kidney Foundation Funded Study Finds That Vitamin B May Be Harmful For Kidney Patients With Diabetes
In a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) by Dr. Andrew House of the University of Western Ontario, patients with diabetic nephropathy taking high doses vitamin B showed a decrease in kidney function and were at increased risk for heart attacks and stroke.

Patients with diabetes normally have higher homocysteine (an amino acid that increases clotting of the blood) levels and often take vitamin B supplements, which seem to lower homocysteine levels. Studies have shown that too much homocysteine in the blood is related to higher risk of coronary heart disease, stroke and peripheral vascular disease.

Dr. House and colleagues think that because vitamin B is water soluble, healthy people would excrete excess vitamin B in the urine. However individuals with reduced renal function would not be able to do so, perhaps causing the adverse affects seen in this study.

“This is an extremely important study”, says Paul Shay, National Executive Director of The Kidney Foundation of Canada. “People with kidney disease often take vitamins assuming they must be safe and good for their health. People with kidney disease should talk to their doctor before taking over-the-counter supplements.”

For more information on The Kidney Foundation of Canada contact Wim Wolfs, National Director Research 514-531-2212 (cell.) or wim.wolfs@kidney.ca.

View the article in Journal of American Medical Association


 
Canadian Study Finds Chronic Kidney Disease Screening Could Increase Early Disease Management and Public Health

According to a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) by Dr. Brenda Hemmelgarn and colleagues of the Alberta Kidney Disease Network, the reporting of estimated Glomerular Filtration Rate (eGFR) – a measurement of the kidney’s ability to filter waste products - increased first time visits to kidney specialists, especially for middle aged to elderly patients, patients with more severe kidney dysfunction and those with co-morbidities, such as hypertension and diabetes.

This news is notable because Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) is an important and increasing public health problem that could be more effectively addressed and treated by early patient and physician awareness. In fact, early detection and appropriate interventions could stem chronic kidney disease progression - or even reverse it.

“An extremely important measurement of kidney function is estimated GFR”, says Paul Shay, National Executive Director, The Kidney Foundation of Canada. “People at risk for kidney disease should know their GFR just as people at risk for cardiovascular disease know their blood pressure.”

A low GFR is an indication of reduced kidney function. Estimated GFR is calculated using a formula based on age, gender and the result of a blood test (serum creatinine) to estimate kidney function. Creatinine is a natural waste product of body muscle. High levels in the blood or serum tests coupled with other risk factors, is an important indicator of an individual’s kidney health or possible kidney damage.

This Canadian study, funded by The Kidney Foundation of Canada and the KRESCENT Program and published in March 2010, is based on information of more than 1,000,000 adults in a province-wide (Alberta) database. The same research group published an earlier study that showed a lower eGFR is associated with an increased risk of negative outcomes (see story “Reduced kidney function with proteinuria associated with increased risk of kidney failure”). Together these studies underscore that CKD is common and requires referral to a specialist.

The Kidney Research Scientist Core Education National Training (KRESCENT) Program focuses on the training of world class scientists.  It was created in 2005 through a special contribution of The Kidney Foundation of Canada, the Canadian Society of Nephrology and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research. A unique program, KRESCENT is characterized by: the recruitment of trainees from multiple disciplines, for involvement in a national curriculum; career development support at the (post-) doctoral level including the first Faculty appointment and ongoing mentorship; and the development of collaborative research and knowledge translation across research themes.
 
For more information on The Kidney Foundation of Canada or the KRESCENT Program, contact Wim Wolfs, National Director Research 514-531-2212 (cell.) or wim.wolfs@kidney.ca.

View the article in Journal of American Medical Association
Reduced Kidney Function with Proteinuria Associated With Increased Risk of Kidney Failure
Patients with high levels of  protein in the urine (proteinuria) coupled with at least one other marker of reduced kidney function had a higher risk of death, heart attack and progression to kidney failure according to a recent study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) co-authored by Dr. Matthew James. Dr. James is a Post-Doctoral Fellowship recipient of the landmark Kidney Research Scientist Core Education and National Training (KRESCENT) Program made possible by The Kidney Foundation and a team of collaborators.

This Canadian study, published in February 2010, is based on information from nearly a million (902,985) adults in a province-wide (Alberta) database and proves significant for both its size and findings. Current guidelines for the classification and staging of chronic kidney disease (CKD) are based on estimated glomerular filtration rate or eGFR (a measure of the severity of kidney damage) without explicit consideration of the severity of coexistent proteinuria. The authors note: ''our findings do suggest that risk stratification performed in terms of eGFR alone is relatively insensitive to clinically relevant gradients in risk.''

Presently, chronic kidney disease is classified in five (5) different stages based on eGFR. This classification scheme has been very helpful in educating both medical professionals and the general public on CKD incidence and the implications of CKD in terms of early identification and management of persons with the disease.

The five stage classification, however, has been questioned for not including the presence and severity of proteinuria, a condition in which urine contains an abnormal amount of protein. Proteinuria is an important indicator of CKD associated with negative outcomes.

Not everyone progresses from stage 1 to stage 5. Research is ongoing to better understand the factors that cause kidney failure and to identify individuals who are at particular risk for it.

“This is an important study,” says Paul Shay, National Executive Director of The Kidney Foundation of Canada. “The Kidney Foundation is interested in a better understanding of chronic kidney disease. The study demonstrates the importance of proteinuria. The Kidney Foundation is proud to support relevant research and those who perform it. These kinds of findings contribute in a significant way to a pool of knowledge that cumulatively has practical implications for both clinical care and research.”

The KRESCENT Program was created through a special collaboration of The Kidney Foundation of Canada, the Canadian Society of Nephrology and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research. The KRESCENT Program focuses on the training of world class scientists. It is a unique program characterized by: the recruitment of trainees from multiple disciplines, for involvement in a national curriculum, supports the career development at the (post-) doctoral level and the first Faculty appointment, with ongoing mentorship support, and fostering the development of collaborative research and knowledge translation across research themes.

For more information on the KRESCENT Program or The Kidney Foundation of Canada, contact Wim Wolfs, National Director Research (514) 531-2212 (cell.) or wim.wolfs@kidney.ca

View the article in Journal of American Medical Association
The Kidney Foundation and Dietary Salt Reduction
January 27, 2010 - The Foundation is proud to partner in the Sodium Reduction Research Workshop organised by the Canadian Institute for Health Research (CIHR) Institutes for Nutrition, Metabolism and Diabetes and Cardiovascular and Respiratory Health. The Workshop was held January 25 and 26 in Toronto and evaluated the strengths, gaps and opportunities in research capacity in Canada for sodium reduction research. It aims to develop the research agenda for sodium reduction that will support the Health Canada Workgroup on Sodium Reduction.

“Consuming more salt than we need can lead to high blood pressure,” says Paul Shay, National Executive Director of The Kidney Foundation of Canada, a member of Hypertension Canada, “and after diabetes, hypertension is the most common cause of kidney failure. So it stands to reason that if you care about your health, you’ll want to put a halt on the salt.” The benefits of dietary salt intake reduction were underscored in an editorial published in the New England Journal of Medicine accompanying a landmark study on the public health benefits of dietary salt reduction. The study by Dr. Bibbins-Domingo (University of California, San Francisco) concluded that a 3 gram per day reduction in dietary salt would reduce the annual number of deaths from any cause by 44,000 to 92,000 in the United States. Lowering salt intake would result in small but measurable reduction in blood pressure. The NEJM editorial also stated that that there is evidence that salt reduction may reduce end-stage kidney disease.

Read the editorial in the New England Journal of Medicine
Read Dr. Bibbins-Domingo's article in the New England Journal of Medicine


Canadians Support Increase in Medical Research Funding
January 19, 2010 - A recent Angus Reid survey, conducted on behalf of six health organizations, found that most Canadians would support increased government funding for health and medical research because they believe breakthroughs are possible within 10 to 20 years. Results of the "Canada Speaks! 2010: Canadians Go for Gold in Health and Medical Research" survey are available at: http://www.canadaspeaks2010.ca/content.php?sec=3

More coverage of the survey available at:
http://www.news.tradingcharts.com/futures/5/3/134155835.html
Acute Kidney Injury Increases Long-Terms Risk of Death
December 23, 2009 - Patients with sudden loss of kidney function, called acute kidney injury (AKI), are more likely to die prematurely after leaving the hospital—even if their kidney function has apparently recovered, according to a study by Dr. Jean-Phillipe Lafrance, a KRESCENT Post Doctoral Fellowship recipient. "Our study found that risk of death remains elevated long after the acute kidney injury," comments Jean-Phillipe Lafrance.

Dr. Lafrance has returned to the Maisonneuve-Rosemont Hospital in Montreal after finishing his Fellowship at the Boston University School of Public Health. His Fellowship research led to the publication of an article focusing on Acute Kidney Injury and the risk of death in the Journal of American Society of Nephrology.

View Dr. Lafrance’s article in Journal of the American Society of Nephrology 
Download the full press release (pdf)
2009 Medal for Research Excellence Awarded to Dr. Susan E. Quaggin
December 11, 2009 – Dr. Susan E. Quaggin has been awarded The Kidney Foundation of Canada’s 2009 Medal for Research Excellence for exceptional work that has extensively improved the lives of people living with kidney disease.

As a clinician-investigator, Dr. Quaggin develops research questions of major importance through her observations and work with patients at St. Michael’s Hospital. She runs her own lab at the Samuel Lunenfeld Research Institute at Mount Sinai Hospital in Toronto where she performs groundbreaking work.

“Sue Quaggin is an extensively published, accomplished and talented young scientist in the flourishing phase of her career,” notes Dr. Andras Kapus, associate professor at the research institute of St. Michael’s Hospital in Toronto. “She has rendered immense service to the field of nephrology and to people with kidney disease. We look forward to what she will achieve in the years to come.’’

Each year The Kidney Foundation of Canada awards The Medal for Research Excellence to honour a Canadian researcher whose work is recognized by their peers for having improved the treatment and care of people living with kidney disease and related conditions.

Download the full press release (pdf)
Read our newsletter Let's Talk Research for more researcher profiles (pdf)
New Canadian Research Helps Doctors Care for Kidney Patients

October 9, 2009 – Research funded by The Kidney Foundation of Canada and led by kidney specialists at Lawson Health Research Institute and London Health Sciences Centre will make it possible for doctors to quickly and effectively access information relevant for patient care. These research findings have been released this week in the print version of the renowned British Medical Journal (BMJ).

“Our study shows that MEDLINE, the database most used by doctors to guide patient care, can be filtered in a reliable manner for patient relevant information,” says Dr. Amit Garg, a London Health Sciences Centre nephrologist and epidemiologist, Lawson scientist, associate professor with the Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry at The University of Western Ontario and Clinician Scientist with the Canadian Institutes of Health Research. Previous attempts to filter the database for a clinical discipline have been limited.

“Using filters is like screening for disease in high risk populations,” says Dr. Garg. “Instead of searching the entire MEDLINE database, doctors can now perform their search within a set of articles relevant to the discipline, such as kidney or kidney disease. Our best renal filters exceeded 97% sensitivity and specificity so they can now be programmed into the system, available for everyone to use – not just renal specialists.’’

Download the full press release (pdf)
Read Dr. Garg's article in British Medical Journal
KFOC Fellowship Recipient Publishes Study Results
August 21, 2009 - Dr. Josée Bouchard, a KFOC Fellowship recipient (July 2007 to June 2009), has returned to Hôpital Sacré-Coeur in Montreal after finishing her Fellowship at the University of California San Diego. Her Fellowship research has led to the publication of an article focusing on critically ill patients suffering from acute kidney injury and the effect of fluid accumulation on their outcomes.

Despite progress in intensive care delivery and dialysis support, there has not been much improvement in survival of acute kidney injury patients. Dr. Bouchard's study shows that fluid accumulation may aggravate the increased mortality in dialyzed and non-dialyzed patients with acute kidney injury. Randomized controlled trials are now needed to confirm whether the fluid accumulation was a result of a more severe renal injury or a factor contributing to its cause. Dr. Bouchard worked with members of the Program to Improve Care in Acute Renal Disease (PICARD) Study Group to complete the project informing her publication.

View Dr. Bouchard’s article in Nephrology Dialysis Transplantation

View the editorial on Dr. Bouchard's article in Nature Reviews Nephrology

Now a Montreal-based nephrologist and clinical researcher, Dr. Bouchard is involved in a multicenter prospective study on acute kidney injury including patients from Hôpital Sacré-Coeur, University of California San Diego and 3 medical centers in the state of New York. Other centers from South America, Europe and Asia will join their group over the next months.

Dr Catherine Whiteside To Be Awarded 2009 May-Cohen Award
August 19, 2009 - Dr. Catharine Whiteside, the Foundation’s 2007 awardee of the Medal for Research Excellence, will receive the Canadian Medical Association 2009 May-Cohen Award for Women Mentor. 

Download the press release from the Canadian Medical Association (pdf)
Read our profile on Dr. Whiteside
Quality of Life of Dialysis Patients Focus of Foundation-funded Documentary

June 15, 2009 - A two-year study (2006-2008) funded by The Kidney Foundation of Canada and the Donner Canadian Foundation, “Living with End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD): Multiple perspectives on suffering and healing” has resulted in a feature-length, patient-centred documentary film about what it is like to live with kidney failure.

Led by Dr. Thomas Hutchinson and Dr. Dawn Allen of McGill University, the project began as a discussion between patients and health professionals. Living With Kidney Failure draws on video data from focus group discussions, biographical interviews, and observation in dialysis units to raise awareness about chronic kidney disease and to promote a better understanding of its quality-of-life implications for people who live with this chronic illness.

Watch the documentary Living With Kidney Failure

Foundation-Funded Research with Important Implications

June 3, 2009 - A team of researchers at The University of Western Ontario, led by Joaquin (Quim) Madrenas of the Robarts Research Institute, has discovered some processes that reduce the lethal effects of toxins from superbugs, allowing humans and microbes to co-evolve. This discovery may lead to novel alternatives to antibiotics that specifically target the toxic effects of these superbugs. The findings are being published in the journal Nature Medicine and are now available online.

View press release (pdf)
View Dr. Madrenas article in Nature Medicine

Dr. Madrenas' research was funded by The Kidney Foundation of Canada and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) and was featured in Let's Talk Research vol. 1 (pdf)






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