Kidney-Link - Spring 2011

Kidney-Link Volume 23 • No. 1 • Spring 2011

k al W ife t’s L Le for

Your Health

Taking care of your transplanted kidney

Quebec Branch Newsletter

The Kidney Walk of The Kidney Foundation of Canada SUNDAY, MAY 15, 2011 A 5-km walk to suppor t people living with kidney disease and to promote awareness of the need for organ donation.

Par ticipating regions Chicoutimi, Gatineau, Montreal, Quebec City Sherbrooke, Trois-Rivières Please detach the registration form on page 6 and return in the enclosed envelope

For more information: Telephone 1-800-565-4515

www.kidney.ca/kidneywalk

The Foundation in the Field ..........................................2 Open House at the Royal Victoria Hospital ...................3 News from the Chapters ..............................................4

Organ Donation ...........................................................5 Bulletin Board ..............................................................6

The foundation of kidney care

The personal information you have provided is used only to send you this newsletter. To stop receiving it, please e-mail us at infoquebec@kidney.ca or call us at 514-938-4515.

A word from the President On May 15, let’s all walk The Walk!

The Walk is an important event for the Quebec Branch of The Kidney Foundation of Canada in so many respects.

Readers: You can help enrich our newsletter by sharing your experiences with kidney disease or transplants. Please send a text of no more than 300 words, along with a high-resolution photo, to infoquebec@kidney.ca.

Since the first Walk in 2008, the event has raised over $300,000, which has subsequently been invested in research programs and put toward funding a variety of Kidney Foundation of Canada programs and services for patients suffering from kidney failure.

COORDINATION AND WRITING Antoine Ardiley GRAPHICS AND PUBLISHING Ardecom PRODUC TION Ardecom CONTAC T US: The Kidney Foundation of Canada – Quebec Branch 2300 René-Lévesque Blvd West, Montreal, QC H3H 2R5 TELEPHONE 514-938-4515 or 1-800-565-4515 FAX 514-938-4757 E-MAIL infoquebec@kidney.ca Circulation: 10,000 copies The Kidney-Link newsletter and Your Health insert are published three times a year by the Quebec Branch of The Kidney Foundation of Canada. Distributed in English and French to all people suffering from kidney failure, these publications provide valuable information on the Foundation’s services and activities, including the latest findings on kidney disease and organ donation.

The opinions expressed in Kidney-Link and Your Health do not necessarily reflect those of the Quebec Branch of The Kidney Foundation of Canada, its directors, employees or members.

Moving? Please let us know at infoquebec@kidney.ca.

Articles may be reproduced provided that the source is quoted.

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Kidney-Link • Spring 2011

The approximately five-kilometre Walk is a fun event that brings together people from all walks of life. It gives people with kidney disease, their families, loved ones, friends and colleagues, as well as healthcare professionals, a chance to gather in a delightful setting to have a picnic, share stories and, as a group, lighten the burden of living with kidney disease.

The Walk is also a wonderful occasion to sensitize the general public to the terrible, devastating effects of kidney disease, and to encourage people to take care of their kidneys. It’s also an unparalleled forum for promoting organ donation and raising public awareness of The Kidney Foundation of Canada, and its mission, volunteers and employees.

Whether you’re in Montreal, Quebec City, Trois-Rivières, Sherbrooke, Chicoutimi or Gatineau, participate, form a team to raise funds, or simply sponsor a walker or an existing team. Sign up today on the Foundation’s Web site at www.kidney.ca/kidneywalk and come walk The Walk with us on May 15! Mark your calendar!

Yours truly, Alain Ouimet

The Foundation promotes kidney disease prevention On January 18 and 19, 2011, The Kidney Foundation of Canada set up a Kidney Health Center (KHC) at Complexe Guy Favreau in Montreal with to reach out to the city’s Asian community, which has a high risk of kidney disease. The two main factors that lead to kidney disease are diabetes and high blood pressure. Staffed by a nurse, the KHC provided the public with an opportunity to find out about kidney disease and to undergo early screening for the two above mentioned diseases. Over the course of those two days, 130 people between the ages of 50 and 70 got tested and, consequently, 30% of them were advised to consult with their attending physician because of high blood sugar levels and abnormally high blood pressure.

On March 30 and 31, the Foundation’s KHC was held at the fourth annual "Salon Ma Santé" health fair held at Montreal’s Complexe Desjardins. Some 150 people were tested for glucose and blood pressure.

Together we can make a difference

Royal Victoria Hospital’s Hemodialysis Centre holds open house On March 30, the Royal Victoria Hospital’s nephrology unit opened its doors to the public and presented the latest advances in nephrology research, clinical care and teaching.

Prismaflex Prismaflex is a veritable blood purification machine.

Fully automated and customizable for each patient’s needs, its tactile screen further adds to the device’s ease of use and user-friendliness.

The open house was a perfect opportunity for the Foundation team to meet with patients, physicians and nurses, while sensitizing the public to the realities of kidney disease and the programs and events organized by the Quebec Branch of the Foundation.

A number of dialysis machines from now and past were on display.

The Allis-Chalmers hemodialysis machine This machine was manufactured in 1949 by a U.S. tractor company for one of its employees, who suffered from kidney failure. A further 14 of them were produced at a cost of $10,000 each, which in 2011 dollars would be closer to $70,000 apiece.

The Kidney Health Center (KHC) at Complexe Guy Favreau on January 18 & 19, 2011.

Portadial No. 5 Series Portable “travel” dialysis machine used between 1982 and 1994.

Nurse Suzanne Lacharité testing a health fair visitor’s blood pressure and blood sugar level.

Kidney-Link • Spring 2011

Your donation goes a long way at The Kidney Foundation

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PHOTO: YVON AUDET, JOURNALIST, L’ÉCHO ABITIBIEN.

News from the Chapters Abitibi-Témiscamingue The Défi des petits lacs raises $10,500 for the Foundation On February 26, 2011, the fourth annual Défi des petits lacs event raised a record $10,500 for The Kidney Foundation of Canada. “We managed to raise $1,500 more than last year,” said Lévi Trottier, Foundation March Drive President, who was clearly proudly pointed out the generosity of the region’s residents when it comes to humanitarian causes.

In order to honour a couple who have faced many challenges over the years on family, professional or social fronts, the event's organizing committee decided to rename the event. From now on, it will be called the Défi Lise et Michel Perron.

Michel Perron is well known at The Kidney Foundation of Canada. A former forestry industrialist, he underwent

a kidney transplant in 1993 and, in 1994, set off on a cross-country skiing expedition to the North Pole, raising $200,000 for the Foundation in the process.

Left to right: Gisèle Gauthier, Vice-president of the Kidney Foundation of Canada’s Abitibi-Témiscamingue Chapter; Lévi Trottier, President, March Drive campaign; Miguel Trottier (back row), Director; Michel Auclair; Lise Perron; Réal Beauchesne (back row); Michel Perron; Jack Thériault; Richard Perron; Françoise Gauthier, Treasurer; and Lise Lapierre, Director, Abitibi-Témiscamingue Chapter.

Outaouais Coffee Club Meeting on tax credit for people suffering from kidney failure, dialysis patients and kidney transplant recipients On February 28, 2011, some 20 people attended the Outaouais Chapter's Coffee Club Meeting on tax credit for people suffering from kidney failure, dialysis patients and transplant recipients.

The speaker, Denis Chaîné, Partner at Logan Katz LLP, guided attendees through all the subtleties of taxation law to help them maximize the tax credit to which they are entitled.

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Kidney-Link • Spring 2011

We're behind you all the way

Eastern Townships A good turnout for the Chapter’s March 30 Coffee Club Meeting Some 50 people turned out for the Coffee Club Meeting held March 30 in Sherbrooke on the subject of living with kidney disease, which was given by psychologist Diane Frenette. The notions of living through the ordeal, the reactions (anxiety, depression, emotions), as well as the process of grieving and adapting to the illness or the diagnosis were discussed during the meeting.

Your Health The Kidney Foundation of Canada, Quebec Branch

Volume 23 • No. 1 • Spring 2011

Taking care of your transplanted kidney More than 4,000 people in Quebec are living with a kidney transplant. In 2009, some 209 deceased donor transplants were carried out in Quebec, compared to 33 living donor transplants. And while it’s hard to predict how long a transplanted kidney will last, kidneys from deceased donors last an average of 12 years, whereas kidneys from living donors last approximately 18 years.

- In case of emergency, always carry an updated list of your medications. Bring it every time you see your physician.

4-

Be attentive to any changes in your condition: - Antirejection medications can increase the risk of infection or certain forms of cancer. Ask your physician what to watch out for; - Advise your transplant care team of any changes in your condition.

5-

Control your blood pressure and your cholesterol level: - If you have been prescribed medication to lower your blood pressure or cholesterol level, take it in accordance with your physician’s instructions and at the same time every day.

If you’re among those living with a kidney transplant, then you know just how precious your new kidney is!

Here are a few tips that will help you keep your transplanted kidney healthy!

1-

Together with your transplant team, develop a follow-up plan suited to your needs

2-

Keep your doctor’s appointments and stick to your test schedule: - Your kidney function must be closely monitored

3-

Take your medications: - It is vital that you take your antirejection medications (immunosuppressants) every day, in accordance with your physician’s instructions; - Make sure that you have a clear understanding of what medications you are taking, as well as when and why you are taking them. Know what they look like. This will help you to establish a routine so that you don’t forget to take them;

6- Manage your lifestyle: - Maintain a healthy weight; - Ask your physician what kinds of physical activity you can practice safely; - Talk to your care team about eating right and adopting an exercise program.

IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, DO NOT HESITATE TO ASK YOUR MEDICAL TEAM

YOUR HEALTH • Spring 2011

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Your Health Anatomy of a transplanted kidney The new kidney and ureter (the tube through which urine passes on its way to the bladder) are placed in the lower abdomen, near the groin. They are then attached to your blood vessels and bladder. Your own kidneys are removed only if they leave no room for the new kidney, if they are chronically infected or if their removal is required due to other medical reasons.

Signs of acute rejection: • • • • • •

Reduced urine output; Swollen ankles; Pain over the transplant area; Fever; General malaise; Increased creatinine levels.

Signs of chronic allograft nephropathy: Kidneys

Transplanted kidney

• • • •

Increased creatinine levels; Hypertension (high blood pressure); Proteinuria (protein in the urine); All uremia symptoms, including fatigue, nausea and loss of appetite.

In the early stages of rejection, no symptoms may be noted. If you experience any of the symptoms listed above, be sure to advise your care team as soon as possible.

Bladder It is important that you go for your tests (blood tests, etc.), as signs of rejection may be latent.

What is rejection?

Rejection occurs when the body recognizes that the transplanted kidney is not its own and mobilizes the immune system to fight it. Rejection can arise at any time after the transplant, but is more common during the first few months. Two types of rejection exist: acute rejection, which is when the immune system attempts to expel the foreign body, and chronic rejection, which can be due to a host of factors interacting with one another.

Nowadays, acute rejection is controlled more effectively thanks to immunosuppressant medications.1 Since 1985, grafted kidney survival rates at one year have increased from 65% to between 85% and 90%.2 However, chronic rejection—also called chronic allograft nephropathy (CAN)—remains an unsolved problem.

CAN is characterized by a slow, but progressive, decrease in the transplanted kidney’s ability to function, which damages the kidney’s filters and tiny blood vessels. This can lead to the loss of protein through the urine (proteinuria), high blood pressure and an impaired ability to eliminate body waste.

Chronic allograft nephropathy is one of the principal causes of long-term transplant failures.

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YOUR HEALTH • Spring 2011

Rejection does not necessarily entail the loss of your transplanted kidney. In many cases, adjustments in medication may be enough to save your kidney.

Factors that influence the life span of your transplanted kidney: 1.

Type of organ donation: - Donor compatibility; - Condition of the donated kidney; - Donor type (deceased or living); - Kidney function shortly after the transplant; - Presence or absence of acute rejection episodes within a year of the transplant.

2.

Medications: - Over time, certain antirejection drugs may damage your kidney, thereby contributing to chronic allograft nephropathy; - Dosages and medications must be adjusted for each individual; - Changes in medication may be recommended after a kidney biopsy to minimize the toxic effects of some medications and optimize the longevity of your transplanted kidney.

Your Health 3.

Blood pressure: - By controlling your blood pressure, you increase your chances of keeping your transplanted kidney healthy; - Controlling your blood pressure significantly increases the lifespan of your transplanted kidney.

4.

Kidney rejection: - Acute rejection is a major risk factor for the development of chronic allograft nephropathy.

5.

Infection: - Antirejection medications increase the risk of infection, as they weaken your immune system; - Most infections are easily treated, but in some cases hospitalization is required in order that the proper treatment can be administered.

7.

Other factors: - Certain kidney diseases that lead to the need for a transplant may affect the new kidney; - Diabetes is sometimes diagnosed after a kidney transplant. In this case, a strict diet coupled with medication makes it possible to manage the diabetes and prevent it from damaging the transplanted kidney; - If your cholesterol level is high, a low-fat diet combined with medication will help you keep your cholesterol at an acceptable level, thereby preventing long-term complications; - Medication: Take your medications as prescribed— take the proper dosage and pay attention to when and how you take them—and you can go a long way toward preventing rejection.

EXERCISE REGULARLY AND MAKE HEALTHY FOOD CHOICES: TWO EFFECTIVE WAYS TO KEEP HEALTHY! Ideas for making exercise a part of your day: • Walk for 10 to 15 minutes during lunch break and after dinner; • Get off the bus one stop early and walk the rest of the way;

• Park your car a few blocks away or at the far end of the parking lot to give yourself a chance to take short walk; • Take the stairs instead of the elevator or escalator at work or school; • Think of housework as exercise: vacuuming briskly can be a real workout; • Leave the remote control on top of the TV.

How to start a successful exercise program: 1.

First and foremost, talk to your doctor. It’s important to consult your healthcare professional before starting any exercise program or increasing your physical activity. Your doctor may recommend specific kinds of exercise that best suit your needs. If you have had heart problems, or if your doctor is concerned about your condition, he or she may order some tests to determine what physical activities you can do. It’s important to establish a pattern of regular exercise as early in your treatment as possible;

2.

Choose an activity that you like and can see yourself doing long-term. If you make exercise part of your daily routine, you’ll be more likely to stick with it;

3.

Star slow, and gradually increase the pace and length of your sessions as you get fitter. Begin each session with a 5-minute warm-up followed by stretching, and end your session with a ‘cool-down’ period: slow walking to allow your heart and lungs to adjust, and stretching to help prevent injuries. Always exercise at a comfortable pace and at a level that is appropriate for you. Exercising too hard isn’t beneficial for anyone and is especially strenuous for out-of-shape, middle-aged and older persons; YOUR HEALTH • Spring 2011

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Your Health How to know whether you’re exercising too hard?

• Your breathing should not be so hard that you can’t carry on a conversation; • You should feel completely normal within an hour of exercising; • You shouldn’t feel so much muscle soreness that it keeps you from exercising the next day; • Intensity should be a “comfortable-push” level.

If you experience any chest pain or discomfort while exercising, even if it goes away after you rest, call your doctor. This can be a sign of heart disease.

4.

Plan your exercise around your most active time of the day. If you are a morning person, schedule your exercise early in the day;

5.

Listen to music or watch TV to keep yourself entertained while you exercise;

6.

Maximize your safety and comfort. Exercise in a safe location. Wear comfortable and appropriate footwear and clothing; it’s always best to buy running shoes form a specialty store where the employees are trained to fit you properly;

CHOOSE A HEALTHY AND BALANCED DIET Eating well is not necessarily more expensive. A healthy diet will help you control high blood pressure and diabetes, while keeping you healthy overall.

Warning! Too much salt can adversely affect blood pressure.

For those who’ve just had a kidney transplant, eating a varied diet is very important, and it’s easier to achieve than you might think: whenever possible, choose foods that are low in fat, added sugar and salt, and increase your intake of foods that are high in dietary fibre. A healthy and balanced diet includes fruit and vegetables, meat or other protein sources, fish and poultry, whole grain foods and low-fat dairy products.

Your Health is published by the Quebec Branch of The Kidney Foundation of Canada. Its aim is to provide general information on kidney disease, its complications and its treatments. The information contained in this publication in no way represents medical advice. For information on transplantation, we invite you to consult your physician or your care team.

7.

Vary your activities to avoid boredom;

8.

Plan your vacations around activities, such as hiking or swimming;

9.

Encourage your family to exercise with you. Discuss your program with your friends. Their encouragement and understanding are important sources of support that can help keep you going;

To find out more about the services and programs offered by the Quebec Branch of The Kidney Foundation of Canada, call 1-800-565-4515 or visit www.kidney.ca/quebec.

10. Find a trainer or partner, or join a walking/running club;

Thanks go out to Dr. Michel R. Pâquet, nephrologist at the CHUM (Notre-Dame Pavilion) and President of the Provincial Organ and Tissue Donation Committee at the Quebec Branch of The Kidney Foundation of Canada, for his invaluable help in drafting this document.

11. Involve your children in your active lifestyle. When parents are active, children are more likely to be active, and stay that way, for the rest of their lives; 12. Set realistic exercise goals, and remember to reward yourself when you reach them;

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13. Go easy on yourself and have fun. Remember, it’s the long run that counts. You don’t need to be the first to cross the finish line: what’s important is showing up at the starting line and doing your best.

YOUR HEALTH • Spring 2011

References: The Kidney Foundation of Canada, “Living with Kidney Disease” The BC Branch of The Kidney Foundation of Canada 1. Bensa, J.C. Les mécanismes immunologiques du rejet d’allogreffes et de leur prévention. July 2001.

2. Ibid.

Research Maximize the benefits provided by treatments for kidney transplant recipients

By Dr. Sacha De Serres A kidney transplant can mean a new lease on life to someone suffering from severe renal failure. But even then, an organ transplant, coupled with the anti-rejection treatments that follow, are not without their own risks.

But Dr. Sacha De Serres is looking at ways to lower these risks.

Dr. De Serres is a postdoctoral fellow at Boston’s Brigham and Women’s Hospital, a teaching affiliate of Harvard Medical School. Once his fellowship is over, he will return to Quebec City’s Hôtel-Dieu Hospital to take up a position as transplant specialist.

“When I went into clinical nephrology, I was particularly attracted to the field of transplantation,” he explained.

“Patients who receive a new kidney get more than just a new start, they also get new problems. One of those is that the patient’s immune system tries to attack and reject the new organ.”

Immunosuppressants, also known as anti-rejection drugs, are used to control the immune system’s reaction. If the patient doesn’t take enough of them, the grafted kidney could be rejected; too much and an infection, or even cancer, could take hold. “As doctors,” adds Dr. De Serres, “we want to do what’s best for our patients. And

in my case, that also means optimizing their meds.”

With this in mind, Dr. De Serres got the idea of studying non-invasive biological markers or indicators. Simply put, this involves taking blood and urine samples— biopsies are not only invasive, but also expensive and painstaking—to provide nephrologists with crucial information about their transplant patients’ health.

As part of his research, Dr. De Serres is monitoring 50 to 100 patients for a 24-month period. “My objective,” he says, “is to follow them over an even longer period, say, five years, which would help us better determine which medications they need.” The ultimate objective is to “control the immune system and determine when it’s time to change meds in order to avoid undesirable side effects, like infections and cancer, while allowing the transplanted organ to keep working effectively.”

Dr. Sacha De Serres is currently making good use of a KRESCENT postdoctoral award.

Organ Donation National Organ and Tissue Donation Week This year, National Organ and Tissue Donation Week took place from April 17 to 24. A number of Kidney Foundation events held throughout the province helped raise public awareness about the importance of organ and tissue donation. It doesn’t take a lot to confirm your willingness to donate organs and tissue upon your death. In addition to informing family and loved ones, it’s also important to sign the consent sticker and affix it to the back of your health insurance card. You can also register with the organ and tissue donation registry held by the Chambre des notaires du Québec.

Moreover, since the Act to facilitate organ and tissue donation went into effect on December 8, 2010, a new national organ and tissue donation consent registry was set up by Quebec’s health insurance department, the RAMQ, to provide Quebecers with yet another way to make their wishes known after they pass away.

For more information, visit http://www.signezdon.gouv.qc.ca or contact Québec-Transplant by phone at 1-877-463-6366.

The foundation of kidney care

Kidney-Link • Spring 2011

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Bulletin Board The Kidney Walk of The Kidney Foundation of Canada - May 15

REGISTER ONLINE TODAY You may also mail or fax us the registration form.

• www.kidney.ca/kidneywalk First name

Please print.

Last name

Tear off and mail your registration form in the return envelope, or fax it to: The Kidney Foundation of Canada – Quebec Branch 2300 René-Lévesque Blvd West, Montreal, QC H3H 2R5 Fax: 514-938-4757

Address

City/Postal code Telephone

E-mail address

In which region would you like to walk?

Eastern Townships Mauricie Montreal Outaouais Quebec City Saguenay/Lac-Saint-Jean

Cell phone

Employer

Relationship to the disease Team name

For more information about the Foundation, please call us at 1-800-565-4515.

Team leader

on’s The Foundati rence annual confe

Face the fact s

idney ranch of The K The Quebec B s ada will hold it an C f o n io at d Foun nce, including Annual Confere GM), ral Meeting (A e n e G al u n n A its d 29, 2011, on May 28 an -d’Or. tel Suite in Val at L’Escale Hô ct register! Conta to t e rg fo ’t n Do 515, d at 514-938-4 au n e R e n ly ce Jo .

1 800 565 4515 ext. 230, or at

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You may not know it, but in

Q

uebec…

Over 14,700 pe ople have been treated for or 4,600 people diagnosed with are undergoin kidney disease. g dialysis.

It costs an estim ated $50,000 for one patient 1,200 people ar to receive a ye e awaiting an ar’s worth of di o rgan donation, The average w alysis treatmen and 78% of th ait time for a ki ts. em are awaiting a dney transplant A kidney transp kidney. is two years. lant costs an es timated $20,0 the transplant 00, and the an costs around $ nual follow-up • 6, 000.

The average lif after e span of a tran • splanted kidney You’re never to is 18 years. o old to donate • a kidney, and In general, one transplant succ year after a tran ess rates cont splant, 70% to and healthy. inue to improve 98% of transp . la nt re ci pi en Sources: Québe ts are active c-Transplant – Canadian Organ Replacement R egister (CORR ) Annual Repo rt Kidney-Link • Spring 2011 • • • • • •

Together we can make a difference

Day World Kidney

tect theme was Pro ’s ar ye is Th . dney Day dering that , , was World Ki t choice consi ap an , rt ea March 10, 2011 H r o n e in si x and S ave You a t’s a ro u n d th — le p o e p Your Kidneys n o ure. v e r 5 0 0 m il li of kidney fail w o rl d w id e, o rm fo e m so r from adults—suffe e and n kidney diseas ee tw be k lin e from of th n people suffer io e are unaware ill pl o m 6 pe y 24 , an lly m 25 .

Too Globa ion mark by 20 ood pressure. ill bl m gh 0 hi 8 3 or e es th diabet ted to hit etes. Unfortuumber expec ople with diab pe f o d ir d iabetes, a n th a s es undergo ropathy affect d with diabet se o gn ia d le Diabetic neph p orldwide, peo an half of the ney disease. W d ki t ec et d n nately, less th lant, and at ca ysis or a transp reening test th al sc di f le o p e m us si e ca th ive be le. n people are al pected to doub ex is r over 1.5 millio be m nu decade, that over the next ate and inform rtunity to educ o pp o l ta vi a of developing Day provides e most at risk os th d an ic World Kidney bl pu importantly, s, the general ful—and most rm ha n, o m decision-maker m co about just how kidney disease .¸ be n ca disease treatable—this ive of is a joint initiat ay D ey dn Ki d Worl hrology l Society of Nep ration the Internationa de Fe International (ISN) and the . dations (IFKF) of Kidney Foun

lendars a c r u o y k r a M alk, May 15 The Kidney W anada undation of C The Kidney Fo -d’Or 28 & 29 in Val ay M , e c n re Annual Confe -Charron apter’s Aimé h C is a u o ta u O ent, June 10 Golf Tournam at Hudson’s Tournament lf o G ’s m a h ation, Cunning e 10 (for inform n Ju , b lu C lf 7) o Falcon G 38-4515, ext. 22 -9 14 5 at s lla Pe June 13 contact Linda Tournament, lf o G s r’ te p a Ch ust 12, 2011 Quebec City ugust 6 to Aug A m o fr s, id k p for , Sept. 11 Summer cam e Laval Police th y b d re so n y spo ment, Spaghetti Da n Golf Tourna ig a p m a C rd a Founder’s Aw September 19 21 ony, October CODA Cerem Gala, rd Campaign a w A s r’ e d n Fou November 24

Researcher Daniel G. Bic het, recipien t of research g rants from the Foundatio n, earns an internationa l distinction Dr. Daniel Bic het, a nephro logist , researcher at the Sac ré-Cœur Hosp ital Research Centre in Mo ntreal, and pro fe ssor in the departments of Medicine an d Physiology at Université de Montréal, received the Jean Hamburge r Medal, the highest d istinction award ed by the Euro pean Society of Nephrology . This d istinct ion underscores the out stand ing con tr ibution that Dr. Bichet’s la boratory, in cl ose collabora tion with Mar iel Birnbaumer ’s laboratory at Texas Baylo r University, has made to our understan ding of hered it ary nephro genic diabetes insipidus.

This rare but severe form o f diabetes is characterized by the kidneys’ in ability to recognize vasopr essin, an anti diuretic hormone, thereb y leading to fr equent, dilute and abundant urination, and, consequently, to serious epis odes of dehydr ation.

In 1998, Dr. Bichet was honoured with the Kidney Fo undation of C anada’s Medal for Res earch Excellence, aw arded each year to a Canadian resident whose excellence in th e field Daniel G. Bich et of kidney rese arch has garn ered national and internationa l acclaim. He al so received The Kidney Fo undation Foun de r's Award in 1997.

Source : Rech erche en San té magazine, no. 46, March 2011, p.18

Kidney-Link • Spring 2011

Your donation goes a long way at The Kidney Foundation

7

The mission of The Kidney Foundation of Canada The Kidney Foundation of Canada is the national volunteer organization committed to lessening the burden of kidney disease through: • funding and stimulating innovative research; • providing education and support; • promoting access to high quality healthcare; and • increasing public awareness and commitment to advancing kidney health and organ donation.

www.kidney.ca/quebec

Quebec Branch 2300 René-Lévesque Blvd West Montreal, Quebec H3H 2R5 Tel.: 514-938-4515 1-800-565-4515 Fax: 514-938-4757 infoquebec@kidney.ca

2011

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Kidney-Link • Winter 2010-2011

Your donation goes a long way at The Kidney Foundation