British Columbia and Yukon Newsletter - Summer 2018

KidneyNews

SUMMER 2018 VOLUME 19 • ISSUE 2

Message from Newly Elected BC & Yukon Branch President, Teresa Atkinson

Dear fellow volunteers, It was my pleasure to be elected to the position of Board President at the recent Annual General Meeting. The Kidney Foundation of Canada (KFOC), BC & Yukon Branch (BCY) means a lot to me and the opportunity to give back in this way is an honour. Many of you may know me, but for those who don’t, I’ve been volunteering with The Kidney Foundation for over 20 years and I’m in my 34th year of surviving chronic kidney disease (CKD).

It wasn’t until someone asked me to help stock a coffee cart in the Newton Dialysis Unit that I joined The Kidney Foundation and discovered what a great organization we have supporting our Kidney Community. Today, I’m asking you to join us too. One in 10 Canadians has kidney disease. This means you likely know someone who suffers from the disease or most certainly will in your lifetime. The numbers are growing and with that growth comes the need for support, education, organ donation and research to reach the ultimate goal of a cure.

My vision for BCY to successfully combat this growing epidemic is to engage even more volunteers to help. We have a newly hired Manager of Volunteer Engagement, Janeen Tronnes, and volunteer Board Regional Representatives throughout the province to better coordinate, represent and engage you, our volunteers and our most valued treasure.

one can “ No do everything,

but everyone can do something.”

Written by Pauline Buck

Kidney Patient Turned Passionate Volunteer If you Google “Kidney Foundation Fundraiser Extraordinaire,” Annick Lim’s picture will pop up.

And if your device has enough data, her story will not only inspire you to financially support The Kidney Foundation’s work, it will also educate you about kidney disease— the importance of maintaining healthy kidneys, and the need for more organ donors.

Recipient of a kidney transplant from her dad 19 years ago, Annick has spent the better part of her spare time since then working tirelessly to raise funds for The Kidney Foundation and promote organ donation. Her on-going campaign started post-transplant when a co-worker at the Bay hung a Kidney Walk poster in the staff lunchroom. Annick had never heard of the Kidney Walk and didn’t know that her work friend was mom to a little boy with kidney disease. After checking out the Walk online Annick says, “I was on fire. This was something I had to do.” In ten days she raised $1,100 and, arriving at the Walk with cash in hand, asked the first person she ran across where she should put the money. That person was our now Board President Teresa Atkinson!

When asked why she is so passionate about The Kidney Foundation, Annick says quite simply, “If The Kidney Foundation didn’t exist, I would be dead. Without the research The Kidney Foundation funds, I wouldn’t be here.”

The Kidney Foundation of Canada, BC & Yukon Branch 200 – 4940 Canada Way Burnaby, BC V5G 4K6 Phone Toll Free: 1-800-567-8112 Fax Toll Free: 1-800-667-8871

kidney.bc.ca

Bitten by the fundraising bug, Annick not only raised money for the ongoing Kidney Walks, she discovered the Foundation’s vehicle recycling program, (now called Kidney Car) and when her neighbour wanted to sell his car, he didn’t just donate it to KFOC, he sold it privately and donated half the proceeds— $750.00 —to The Kidney Foundation.

To date, Annick has raised almost $60,000 and can’t wait to hit $100,000.

Or $250,000. “I have personally seen where the money goes,” she exclaims.

When asked why she is so passionate about The Kidney Foundation, Annick says quite simply, “If The Kidney Foundation didn’t exist, I would be dead.

Without the research The Kidney Foundation funds, I wouldn’t be here.” Not only that, she is motivated by the help The Kidney Foundation provides for kidney patients themselves. > continued on page 2

Annick Lim and her husband, Edmund

At the AGM this past year, we talked with volunteers about “where’s your passion”. The Kidney Foundation is poised and ready to listen to how you’d like to help make a difference in the Kidney Community. Where does your passion, skill or interest lie?

• Is it in thinking work, like participating on committees to investigate solutions to the transportation issues facing kidney patients; •

Or setting up a public information booth and talking with the public about the importance of kidney health and organ donation;

• Maybe writing stores or helping with graphic layout for publications like this newsletter is your thing; • Do you like engaging your personal network and fundraising during our Walks; or • Something else altogether?

With your help we can make a difference in the lives of those living with kidney disease. So, check us out on the website, kidney.bc.ca or pick up the phone and call Janeen at the Branch – 604-558-6881 or Toll Free: 1.800.567.8112 ext 224 and let us know how you’d like to help. I’m confident once you know the details of what we do, you’ll want to join such a worthy cause so close to our “Kidney’s”.

I’m looking forward to working with you all during the upcoming exciting year at The Kidney Foundation, BC & Yukon Branch.

Teresa Atkinson, President, BC & Yukon Branch

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KidneyNews ONE STRONG VOICE

Kidney Patient Turned Passionate Volunteer continued from page 1

Annick’s relationship with kidney disease and subsequently The Kidney Foundation goes way back. At 18 months she was diagnosed with Reflux Nephropathy, which is basically a faulty valve problem in the ureter causing urine to back up into her kidneys instead of flowing into her bladder and out. A surgical procedure did not correct the problem and she spent much of her early years fighting urinary tract infections, catching every cold and flu that was going around and undergoing various treatments, once at Toronto’s Sick Children’s Hospital, and then, after moving to the west coast in 1984, visits to BC’s Children’s Hospital. Because nephrology as a medical specialty was still quite new when she was diagnosed, knowledge about kidney disease was limited, and her treatment was primarily antibiotics for the infections, and yearly visits to the Nuclear Medicine Dept to monitor how her kidneys were functioning.

By the time Annick turned 19, nephrology had come a long way and kidney transplants were a regular course of treatment for many patients. At 19, Annick had also aged out of the system at Children’s Hospital and needed a nephrologist who treated adults. She was referred to Dr. Adeera Levin who handled all her pre-transplant needs and helped Annick understand what her condition was all about. “Dr. Levin was wonderful and really helped me.”

Annick’s first encounter with The Kidney Foundation was as a young woman with her first, low paying job. Her salary was $17,000 a year and her meds cost $320.00 a month. Having no health insurance, her prescription cost was a stretch. One day she mentioned to her social worker that she didn’t have an extra $350 that month and would have to run up her Visa. The social worker arranged for The Kidney Foundation to cover her meds that month.

“That changed my life,” Annick says. “That The Kidney Foundation cared enough about me to buy my meds—thank you is not enough.”

When she was scheduled to receive her transplant from her dad, The Kidney Foundation covered the costs to bring him to Vancouver from his home in Quebec. Through the social worker, The Kidney Foundation even covered the cost of a new pair of pajamas for him because, being unemployed, he couldn’t afford to buy a decent pair for his hospital stay. “Now that’s caring,” Annick says.

These personal encounters motivated Annick to connect with the Foundation’s program to supply comfort items to kidney patients.

Knowing that dialysis patients often experience cold feet and hands, this past Christmas she arranged to purchase 45 pairs of thermal socks that she took to the local unit along with a Christmas letter, co-written with Teresa Atkinson, that encouraged patients with financial difficulties to reach out to their social worker.

Annick also works locally within her community, attending health fairs and searching out opportunities to promote the need for kidney health and organ donation.

At the recently held Vernon Health Fair, she and her husband Edmund, who has been a great supporter of Annick’s dedication for many years, registered over 100 people as organ donors and met a transplant recipient who wanted information about starting a KFOC Chapter in Vernon.

In addition, Annick met five First Nations women, one of whom shared that her daughter had died and donated her organs, including her skin, which helped the recovery of a young native man who had tried to commit suicide by setting himself on fire.

This encounter led to Annick being invited to speak at the March 2018 Aboriginal Diabetes Conference. For seven years she had attended this event, giving out brochures and information about the high-risk relationship between diabetes and kidney disease. But the opportunity to speak turned the tide in relationship building and provided a much-needed opportunity to really spread the word within the Indigenous population about kidney health. For 45 minutes Annick addressed over 350 people, providing information and answering questions.

Public speaking to larger groups is quite new to Annick, but it’s something she has embraced wholeheartedly. “It’s different than doing radio or newspaper interviews. There, it’s only me and the one person I’m talking to. Same at a health fair booth—just small groups. Standing in front of 350 people for the first time was really nervous-making. But it worked so well. I’m really excited about the positive response my information got.”

Over the years Annick has received a number of awards and recognitions from The Kidney Foundation for her many contributions to the organization. But, for her, it’s not about the plaques on the wall. It’s about giving back to the organization that she says saved her life.

Thanks Annick for your wonderful work. ■

NEWS IN BRIEF

Targeted Screening Program Launched In August 2017, the BC & Yukon Branch, launched the first stage of a province-wide Targeted Screening Program to British Columbians at risk of developing Chronic Kidney Disease.

With funding of $200,000 from the BC Ministry of Health, Kathy McIntyre, our Targeted Screening Coordinator, successfully made her way around BC bringing the message about kidney health and the importance of “knowing your numbers” to 628 individuals in various communities.

Screening events took place in towns in Northern BC, the Interior, Vancouver Island, and across the Lower Mainland.

The populations screened included multicultural groups, South Asian and First Nations populations. Later this year Kathy will be in Fort St. James at a Sikh temple and other towns with at-risk populations. By the end of 2018, she will have visited 25 communities and screened 1,000 at-risk British Columbians. Subsequently, an evaluation will be done to inform a response to screening and identify motivation toward positive lifestyle changes. ■

Kidney Patient Journeys Now Available for PKD patients The BC & Yukon Branch has received funding to offer Kidney Patient Journeys to patients with Polycystic Kidney Disease.

Kidney Patient Journeys offer small group sessions where patients can each share their kidney stories and seek support from others in the group. A nephrologist participates in each event to provide context, info and support. The Branch has already held two of these events plus one for patients with diabetes and CKD, and one for individuals with rare kidney disease.

If you are interested in participating in a future PKD event, please call or email Heather at 1-800-567-8112 ext 227, heatherj@kidney.bc.ca ■

KidneyNews

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SUMMER 2018 VOLUME 19 • ISSUE 2

Message from Immediate Past President

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SURVEY SAYS...

In order to better understand the needs of people in our kidney community who are affected by Chronic Kidney Disease, we surveyed kidney patients, family members and caregivers of kidney patients. Our goal was to ensure that we provide our kidney

As President and now Past President of the BC & Yukon Branch I am very proud

family with customized information about programs, services and events that may be of value to them.

of what the Branch staff and volunteers have accomplished over my three years of being the President and Board Chair. Under the leadership of our Executive Director, Pia Schindler and the Branch leadership, staff and volunteers, we delivered significantly to the KFOC Mission. You only have to read the 2017 BC & Yukon Branch Annual Report and the 2017 Report to the Provincial Renal Agency to see the impact the Branch has made on the lives of those suffering from kidney disease and the families that support them.

The Branch has also been recognized as a major player on and at the National Board of Directors and will continue to do so. From innovative organ donation registration events engaging the Mayors, Police and Firefighters, to being recognized as a national communications player for our innovative PLUGGED IN series on Shaw, to seeing how we make a difference on the ground serving and advocating for kidney patients and their families, we are there.

CKD patients were asked about the risk factors that led to their diagnosis, what stage of treatment they were at, their age, their ethnic background and if they were interested in receiving more information and/or meeting with other kidney patients who share their health concerns.

Looking to the future, I see the Branch being a bigger presence in meeting both our own and the national strategies in support of the kidney community across the country. This is a significant challenge in an increasingly crowded charity market, regionally and nationally.

Making ourselves the charity of choice in this market takes courage, innovation and creativity. Also engaging our volunteers to harness all their energy and commitment to build on our successes is urgent. We are well placed to tackle these challenges and move forward doing what we do well. ■

Anne Schultz M.Ed. BC & Yukon Branch Past President and Board Chair

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# of completed questionnaires

# of leading causes of CKD within our survey population, which were high blood pressure and diabetes

The survey also validated what we already knew—people of Asian descent are at-risk for CKD, with many already being diagnosed.

Most of our folks were in the earlier stages of CKD (so were not on dialysis) or they had progressed to transplantation.

These results may guide the Kidney Foundation to ensure that pre-dialysis and post-transplant patients receive all the information and support that they need. In addition, those with diabetes and CKD, and high blood pressure and CKD should also be targeted with information and support. We have already been able to use the data to invite those on peritoneal dialysis to a PD conference and to include those with diabetes in a special webinar. ■

NEWS IN BRIEF

Re/Max, WHL and Don Cherry join forces to Raise Record-Setting $265,500 to Promote Organ Donation

Western Hockey League (WHL) fans embraced the RE/MAX Presents: WHL Suits Up with Don Cherry to Promote Organ Donation themed events at 17 games during October 2017 to March 2018. Fans not only signed up to be organ donors, but purchased special Don Cherry suit-themed jerseys, special edition Don Cherry bobbleheads and other fun swag, raising an incredible $265,500—making this The Kidney Foundation's largest public awareness and fundraising campaign for organ donation ever.

Organ donor awareness is a cause close to the Don Cherry family, with Don’s son, Tim, receiving a kidney transplant from his sister, Cindy. This was why Don lent his support to the WHL who proudly partnered with REMAX to present these promotions.

“I knew the people of the Western Hockey League would come through, and they came through in spades,” said Don Cherry, on behalf of The Kidney Foundation. “We couldn’t have done it without RE/MAX, our sponsor. $265,500 is the most we’ve ever raised and when you see something like that, it makes you very proud to be a Canadian.”

KFOC Executive Director Pia Schindler and volunteer Patrick Ng drop the puck at the WHL game in Kelowna

For more information, check out canadadonates.ca ■

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KidneyNews SUMMER 2018 VOLUME 19 • ISSUE 2

What volunteer participants had to say:

Leadership Weekend

Puts Renewed Focus on Volunteer Engagement, Energy and Passion

"Being a recent transplant recipient and a first time attendee to the leadership weekend I found all of the weekend very informative, interesting and beneficial. The one thing that really sticks in my mind is learning that people with limited financial resources often don't have the ability to get the required dental repairs to be approved for a kidney transplant.

This is definitely an area that needs to be addressed by our health care. I applaud the work The Kidney Foundation is doing in this regards. " Sid Adams, Volunteer “My “ah ha” moment was how useful the Leadership Weekend is as a forum for communication to see what other chapters are doing to succeed, and how some of these events, and ideas can be used to help a chapter become more viable, and grow.”

Paul Ravelle, President of Prince George Chapter

You could feel the energy and excitement in the air of The Kidney Foundation of Canada, BC & Yukon Branch’s annual Leadership Weekend on May 11 and 12. More than 50 volunteers and members journeyed from around BC and the Yukon to Richmond to participate in the two-day retreat.

The weekend opened with networking and dinner on Friday night, providing an important time for volunteers to connect with one and another and staff from the Branch.

After dinner, it was down to business. A board orientation was led by outgoing BC & Yukon Branch President, Anne Schultz, who then chaired her final Board meeting. Senior staff provided operational updates, and opportunity for discussion. Departing Board members were honoured and thanked for their contributions, including: Dennis McCann, Paul Duperron, Ron Walker, Judith Thompson, Edna Humphreys, Maureen Hobbs, Aimee Morry, Cathy Wong, Sandeep Manak and Dr. Robin Lowry (appointed Medical Advisor) Bright and early Saturday morning, incoming President, Teresa Atkinson, and Executive Director, Pia Schindler, welcomed volunteers and members and set the stage for the day.

As a volunteer-driven organization, the focus for the leadership weekend centered around volunteer engagement to support volunteers today and into the future. The morning opened with Chapters providing updates from their respective communities, including highlights of their activities throughout the year. Among the many updates, volunteers shared their extraordinary fundraising achievements, their strategies to attract new volunteers and members, and their hard work promoting kidney health awareness and education.

Through this sharing of information, the group was able to learn from each other’s successes, innovations and challenges.

Volunteers then engaged in a discussion and round table group work about 2018 Branch strategies and Chapter activities and how they align with The Kidney Foundation’s mission, vision and public benefit statements: Hope, Support, Empowerment, and Engagement.

The big takeaway for the group was the confirmation that their contributions and activities both align with and support the overall strategic vision of The Kidney Foundation, both provincially and nationally.

The group then broke for lunch, and following lunch, attended The Branch’s Annual General Meeting where the election of the 2018-2019 Board of Directors took place.

In the afternoon, National Executive Director, Elizabeth Myles, joined the group by video and provided an overview of The Kidney Foundation’s report “The Burden of Outof-Pocket Costs for Canadians with Kidney Failure”. This was followed by a Q & A session and lively discussion led by Director of Programs, Heather Johnson.

The final session of the day entitled “where’s your passion” challenged volunteers to think about how they want to contribute and what they need to succeed. To help get the conversation going, volunteers heard from their peers who shared their personal accounts and heartwarming stories about why they volunteer and what motivates them to stay involved. There were lots of laughs and some tears too during the discussion, and it inspired everyone to think about how they could best make a difference.

Participants then shared final thoughts and the leadership portion of the weekend concluded with new and innovative ideas on volunteer engagement paired with a renewed passion for giving back. ■

Congratulations to the Newly Elected BC & Yukon Branch Board of Directors and Executive for 2018-2019 At the Kidney Foundation of Canada, BC & Yukon Branch Annual General Meeting held on Saturday, May 12 at the Hilton Hotel in Richmond BC, the following members were elected to the Board of Directors:

Executive:

Newly Elected Board of Directors (Left to Right) Back Row: Terry Chan, Guy Lapierre, Mohan Tatra, Randy Spensley, Ric Leong Front Row: Katrina McAndrew, Anne Schultz, Teresa Atkinson, Carmen Komish, Diane Duperron Missing: Bev Ginder, Carly Bergman, Joan Iamele, Maurice Latash Nahanee, Dr. Mike Bevilacqua (Appointed Medical Advisor)

Teresa Atkinson – President Carmen Komish – Vice-President Guy Lapierre – Vice-President Ric Leong – Vice-President

Carly Bergman – Treasurer Anne Schultz – Immediate Past President Terry Chan – Secretary

Directors-at-Large

Regional Directors

Diane Duperron Bev Ginder Maurice Latash Nahanee Randy Spensley Ric Leong Joan Iamele Dr. Mike Bevilacqua – Appointed Medical Advisor

Diane Duperron (Northern) Katrina McAndrew (Vancouver Coastal) Mohan Tatra (Fraser Health) Carmen Komish (Yukon) Randy Spensley (Vancouver Island) Interior (Vacant)

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The BC & Yukon Branch annual Awards Celebration marks an important opportunity to recognize and thank our many volunteers, supporters, members of the media and other community partners all of whom are so integral to helping us achieve our mission.

Annual Awards Evening

Honours its “Shining Stars”

BC & Yukon Branch Executive Director, Pia Schindler, acted as emcee for the evening and in her opening remarks said “We feel incredibly fortunate to have such a remarkable group of people in our kidney community—our shining stars—who help us, each and every day, support those affected by kidney disease. Our awards evening honours those across our kidney community who have come together with passion and energy, and with their time and talent to make a real difference in the lives of kidney patients.”

While the awards evening formally recognizes only certain individuals for their specific contributions, we know that for each and every person who receives an award, there are hundreds more dedicated volunteers and supporters whose combined efforts help keep the Foundation on track and going strong.

Pia concluded her remarks with “you help us shoot for the stars, even if we land on the moon. You give us lift off in everything we dream, and do”.

Congratulations to This Year’s Award Recipients

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Patient Support Award Don and Elaine Crawford – for over 18 years Don and Elaine have supported the Kidney Suites within Chelsea Tower, and have provided unwavering kindness to our post kidney transplant patients. *

Outstanding Leadership John and Verna Wiens —for their phenomenal financial support and leadership to The Kidney Foundation, including the Kidney Gala. *

Community Leadership Dr. Tony Chiu —for his outstanding leadership and support to kidney patients through various innovative initiatives, including O2P, and Participation to Wellness. *

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* The above award winners were unable to attend the Awards evening.

Community Ambassador Award

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Eileen Zheng —for her amazing dedication to the cause, promoting organ donor awareness and raising funds by cycling across Canada after donating her kidney to her mom. Elaine then went on and helped the BC & Yukon Branch launch a kidney bike event.

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Social Media Influencer Award Gertie Wong —for her commitment each and every day helping to spread messaging about kidney health and the importance of organ donation on Facebook. She is a shining example of a social media influencer.

Community Service Award

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Trish Creed and Jean Folkestad —for their compassion and leadership— these two ladies have made it their mission to help kidney patients in need through the Coffee Cart Program at the Tri-Cities Dialysis Unit, and have inspired others to do the same.

Innovation Award Andrea Bridger —for her sheer talent and ability to leverage technology which she used to introduce the Branch to a new innovative form of fundraising, raising over $6,000 for us in 12 short hours.

Community Leadership Maureen Hobbs —for her unstoppable passion and leadership! Maureen has done it all from supporting numerous Chapter events, to spearheading an organ donation initiative through the school of nursing, to organizing the Hobbs family’s highly successful “Kidneys on the Move” event which has raised in excess of $100,000 over 10 years.

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Community Ambassador

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Mohan Tatra —for his ongoing dedication and significant contributions promoting kidney health awareness and prevention within the South Asian community.

National Public Awareness Award SHAW TV —for their commitment to investing in community programming, SHAW TV, SHAW Multicultural and SHAW Direct were recognized for their incredible support helping encourage and stimulate increased public awareness of kidney health through PLUGGED IN. Accepting the award on behalf of SHAW was Mary Ruth Harris.

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Advocacy Award Ron Poole —for his guidance, strategic insight and passion to help take the Kidney Foundation’s “Saving Lives through Organ Donation” campaign to the next level.

Corporate Leadership Otsuka —this company has a long track record of corporate philanthropy but Otsuka’s impact on our kidney community has been amazing. This organization has gone above and beyond to support the Foundation in countless initiatives, making a difference in the lives of kidney patients. Accepting the award on behalf of Otsuka was Maxime Rouleau. > continued on page 6

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SUMMER 2018 VOLUME 19 • ISSUE 2

Annual Awards Evening Honours its “Shining Stars”

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continued from page 5

Public Awareness Award

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Dr. Mike Bevilacqua —was recognized as our “media star” for 2017 helping the Branch raise awareness and education about kidney health. Despite a very busy schedule, Dr. B. still took the time to run the media gauntlet with us, agreeing to be our media expert for countless media interviews and helping shine a light on this disease.

Inspiration Award Kiran’s Angels —To honour their beautiful friend, Kiran, who’s life was taken away tragically, a group of very special young ladies—Kiran’s Angels— participated in the Kidney Walk. An inspiration to all, they donned angel wings, wore green t-shirts and raised incredible funds in memory of their dear friend.

President’s Award BC & Yukon Branch Staff —for their outstanding leadership and commitment to the kidney community.

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Special Appreciation Award Ron Walker —for his dedication, passion, guidance and many contributions to The Kidney Foundation over 30 years.

Ron was a force to be reckoned with locally, provincially and nationally, and we could not imagine The Kidney Foundation without him.

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National Circle of Excellence Award Barbara Valentine and Deborah Tucker —these ladies were recognized nationally for their ingenuity and innovation, launching a little grassroots TV show, PLUGGED IN, which is serving as a key public awareness platform for the Branch.

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National President’s Award Anne Schultz —received this National award for her outstanding leadership, strategic insight, and contributions as President of BC & Yukon Branch Board of Directors and for her role serving on the National Board of Directors. Among her many accomplishments, Anne helped drive the “Saving Lives through Organ Donation” campaign to a new level by creating key partnerships for the Branch including BC Association of Chiefs of Police and Royal Roads University. ■

Volunteers Inspire another Successful Kidney Gala It was a night of glitz and glam as the blue carpet rolled out for the 6th annual Kidney Gala on March 8—World Kidney Day—at the Fairmont Hotel Vancouver. More than 300 guests were dazzled by the Agency Girls as they took guests back in time, singing hits from the golden era of Hollywood while enjoying their 3-course gourmet dinner. The ever-elegant Gala emcee and CTV News Anchor, Norma Reid, opened the evening, and introduced Dr. Adeera Levin, Gala Chair, and internationally respected nephrologist/researcher. Dr. Levin set the stage for the evening and shared why the Gala is so important to help shine a light on kidney disease.

Keynote speaker was kidney transplant recipient and long-time volunteer, Kate Chong. Kate told her heartfelt story and earned a standing ovation, not to mention a beautiful bouquet of roses from her husband!

But this magical evening would not have been possible without the dedication, time and talent of a small but mighty group of volunteers.

Indira Gill and Bev Ginder are shining examples of volunteers who have been behind the scenes at the last few Galas ensuring the décor and every last detail of the evening was perfect.

The success of our Kidney Gala is due in large part to our amazing volunteers, from our Emcee to those helping us roll out the blue carpet.

Together, we have raised almost $1.2 million to date. Now, that’s something to celebrate! But we are always looking for more volunteers to join our Gala team. Interested? Please contact Janeen Tronnes at jtronnes@kidney.bc.ca for more info.

Thank You to our Amazing March Drive Volunteers Again this year enthusiastic volunteers canvassed door to door all around British Columbia to raise funds for The Kidney Foundation and awareness about the need for kidney health and organ donation. Over 800 volunteers hit the streets throughout the month of March and brought in a resounding $123,000. Thanks everyone for your continued support of this campaign.

KidneyNews ONE STRONG VOICE

Mark Your Calendars!

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Kidneys on the Move–

A Force to be Reckoned With Eighteen years ago, Kidneys on the Move was but a gleam in the eye of kidney transplant recipient, the late Doug Hobbs, and his wife Maureen. Today it is a major force in the fundraising world of The Kidney Foundation.

Having just received his gift of life from his brother, Keith, on Valentine’s Day 2000, Doug and Maureen organized a fundraiser, called Kidneys on the Move, and invited family and friends to join them in celebrating Doug’s life-saving transplant. In 2001 Doug and Maureen joined The Kidney Foundation of Canada and promoted Kidneys on the Move as an annual fund raiser to support patients with kidney disease requiring organ donation and assist them with accommodation and travel expenses related to transplantation in Vancouver. Doug passed away on Remembrance Day 2012 and is remembered by many as a hero. Inspired by her husband’s legacy, Maureen continues as a member with The Kidney Foundation and organizer of Kidneys on the Move, which to this date, has raised over $100,000 to support patients with kidney disease.

Doug's Legacy Lives On

Kidney Walk is back! On September 23rd, thousands of KFOC supporters around BC will Walk · Run · Volunteer · Donate to support The Kidney Foundation. Perfect for the whole family (including your pets) and all levels of ability.

Take a Giant Step · Sign up as an individual or form a team.

Go to www.kidneywalk.ca to register. Every step is a giant leap forward in the fight against kidney disease! ■

We want to hear from you!

Have a story idea, update from your Chapter or community, a tip or success story you want to share or some feedback for Kidney News?

We publish Kidney News twice a year: Summer and Winter Issues. To be included in the next issue, please forward any ideas or comments to deboraht@kidney.bc.ca by September 14, 2018.

Thanks!

The Hobbs campaign to promote the importance of kidney health and organ donation has grown beyond Doug and Maureen Hobbs’ initial Kidneys on the Move fundraising initiative.

Maureen recalled how Doug used to say, “It really sucks that the number of patients suffering with kidney disease are increasing and many will die before receiving a transplant. What can we do?” This was the impetus for Maureen to initiate an organ donor public awareness campaign and adopt the acronym SUC: Sign Up Canada with Kidneys on the Move which has since become an integral part of the Leadership Maureen and Doug Hobbs (left and right) receiving a recognition award in 2012 Program at the University of Victoria School of Nursing and could expand across BC and Canada.

Maureen, an RN and sessional instructor with the University of Victoria School of Nursing, was preparing for a course when she had the idea to partner with nursing students and guide them to become ambassadors for raising awareness about kidney health and organ donation.

She collaborated with The Kidney Foundation and Schools of Nursing about the concept of volunteering as a field guide and subsequently invited 4 nursing students to conduct their community placement with her. Maureen envisioned how it was possible to mobilize nursing students and young adults in colleges and universities across BC to make their wishes known by registering to become an organ donor. The participating nursing students reported they felt good about advocating for patients with kidney disease, promoting organ donor registration and about participating in such activities as hosting classroom presentations, participating in informational booths at the university and talking directly to their target audiences, who are primarily their peers and other university students.

Ultimately Sign Up Canada with Kidneys on the Move is an attainable goal among nursing schools across Canada. Nursing students are in a perfect position to become knowledgeable ambassadors of kidney health, transplantation and making wishes known for organ registration.

Nursing students across BC are invited to become leaders with Sign Up Canada with Kidneys on the Move. A kidney resource package is available for nursing students wishing to get involved.

For additional information, please contact Maureen Hobbs, RN, BSN, MN, Continuing Instructor, Nursing, University of Victoria, Home Office 250-478-6658 maureenh@uvic.ca or maureenhobbs@shaw.ca ■

Are you"kidneying"me?

The Kidney Foundation has a TV show about kidney health that’s fun and informative?

PLUGGED IN covers all topics important to kidney patients, caregivers, health care professionals, volunteers, supporters and the public-at-large.

Get PLUGGED IN!

Subscribe to our YouTube channel.

It’s easy… Here’s how…

PLUGGED IN also airs on SHAW TV!

• Search Kidney BCY TV

• SHAW TV Channel 4 across BC (check your local listings for days and times)

• Click on any episode— there are over 50 to choose from!

• SHAW Multicultural Channel (Vancouver and Calgary)

• Sit back and enjoy!

• SHAW Direct Canada-wide (3 times daily - check your local listings for days and times)

• Google YouTube.com

• Don’t forget to click on the red subscribe button to receive a reminder when each Now airing across BC on new episode is airing!

Or you can visit us at kidney.bc.ca and click on the PLUGGED IN rotating banner.

Coming up this summer: • Check out highlights from the Canadian Transplant Games!

• Don’t miss the Kidney Cuisine Cook Off: Nephrologists vs Dieticians • PLUGGED IN captures the grand opening of BC’s first PKD clinic and interviews Dr. Bevilacqua about why this clinic is important to patients

KidneyNews ONE STRONG VOICE

LIVING WELL RECIPES

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Dani Renouf, dietitian at St. Paul’s Hospital has provided the following kidney friendly recipe for your summer enjoyment.

ROASTED EGGPLANT DIP

CHAI TEA

INGREDIENTS

PREPARATION

INGREDIENTS

DIP

Preheat your conventional oven to 400°F. Cut the eggplant in half lengthwise and place the skin side facing up on a lined or non-stick baking sheet. Cut the tops off the garlic bulb. Wrap the garlic bulb in aluminum foil and place on the same baking sheet as the eggplant. Bake for 40 minutes or until eggplant and garlic both soften and become aromatic. Once the eggplant and garlic have been roasted and cooled, the dip can be made. Scoop out the softened eggplant from its skin and squeeze the garlic from the bulb into a mixing bowl or food processor. Add all other ingredients for the dip. Puree in a food processor or with a handheld blender.

To make the tortilla crisps, preheat oven to 400°F. Cut each tortilla into eight wedges and spread them on a lined or non-stick baking tray. Brush the tortillas with olive oil (or spray with oil).

Sprinkle them with a blend of chili powder and cumin if desired. Bake for approximately 8 minutes or until crispy.

2-inch piece fresh ginger, cut into thin rounds 2 cinnamon sticks 2 teaspoons black peppercorns 10 whole cloves 6 cardamom pods 6 cups cold water 6 bags of black tea (preferably Darjeeling) 2 cups whole milk 1/2 cup (packed) golden brown sugar

1 medium eggplant (~ 1.5 lbs) 1 bulb garlic 1/2 teaspoon cumin powder 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper 2 tablespoons lemon juice 1 tablespoon olive oil

TORTILLA CRISPS 4 white flour tortillas (6 inches diameter) 1 tablespoon olive oil or cooking spray 1/2 teaspoon chili powder (optional) 1/2 teaspoon cumin powder (optional) PREPARATION: 10 MINUTES COOKING: 50 MINUTES 8 SERVINGS

PREPARATION Combine first 5 ingredients in medium saucepan. Using mallet or back of large spoon, lightly crush or bruise spices. Add 6 cups water; bring to boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low, partially cover pan, and simmer gently 10 minutes. Remove from heat. Add tea bags and steep 5 minutes. Discard tea bags. Add milk and sugar. Bring tea just to simmer over high heat, whisking until sugar dissolves. Strain chai into teapot and serve hot.

Submitted by Nanaimo Chapter members, Usha and Viraat

Source: Spice it up!

Staff Updates FOND FAREWELL

LIFT OFF

The BC & Yukon Branch bid a fond farewell to two staff members this spring.

• Laurie Mark, Manager of Patients Service • Tracy Riddell, Manager of Database and Office Administration We will miss you Laurie and Tracy and wish you every success in your next adventure!

WELCOME ABOARD • Kate Chong, our new Manager of Patient Services ANNUAL REPORT 2017

| THE KIDNEY FOUNDATION OF CANADA |

BC & YUKON BRANCH

Find out why 2017 was a LIFT OFF year here at the BC & Yukon Branch, and how our volunteers, kidney patients, their families, donors and supporters helped make this possible. The BC & Yukon Branch 2017 Annual Report is now online at kidney.bc.ca.

• Kelly Zhang, who many of you may remember was the Administrative & Data Assistant for the Branch, is now the new Manager of Database and Office Administration • Also joining the Administration team: David Bancroft, Administrative and Data Entry Assistant Congratulations Kate, Kelly and David!

THE KIDNEY FOUNDATION OF CANADA

PRIVACY STATEMENT

The Kidney Foundation of Canada is the national volunteer organization committed to reducing the burden of kidney disease through funding and stimulating innovative research, providing education and support, promoting access to high qual contained ity healthcare, and increasing public awareness of and commitment to advancing kidney health and organ donation. Please visit our website at www.kidney.bc.ca for more information. The information in this publication is not intended to be a treatment guide. For specific information, please consult your physician.

The personal contact information that we have on file for you is used for the purpose of sending you this newsletter.

If you do not wish to continue to receive this newsletter, kindly email us at info@kidney.bc.ca or phone 1-800-567-8112 to be removed from the mailing list. Please allow 30 business days for us to update our records.

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