Information booth for World Kidney Day 2024 returns to Northumberland Hills Hospital
Northumberland Hills Hospital (NHH) is pleased to welcome back Bob McKenzie, a transplant recipient, and Transplant Ambassador with the Ontario Renal Network (ORN) to host an information booth in support of World Kidney Day on Thursday, March 14.
After developing kidney disease in 2014, Mr. McKenzie required dialysis treatment, which he underwent at NHH for nearly three years.
In 2018—four years after his initial diagnosis—Mr. McKenzie received a kidney transplant at Toronto General Hospital (TGH), which he credits as saving his life.
Mr. McKenzie’s experience as a transplant recipient is what inspired him to raise awareness about the importance of organ donation. He is also passionate about volunteering with the Ontario Renal Network who supported him throughout his transplant journey.
“Following the transplant, my life has gone back to normal,” said Mr. McKenzie. “I’m so grateful for the care that I received at both TGH and NHH. My personal experiences as a donor recipient led me to join the Ontario Renal Network Patient and Family Advisory Council (PFAC) where I held the position of co-chair for five years. As a Patient Family Advisor, I have also had the opportunity to sit on several different panels that review best practices and strategic planning. I also volunteer as a Transplant Ambassador and visit dialysis patients who are either awaiting a transplant or exploring the option of organ donation. It’s been a very rewarding experience to share my story and help others in their organ donation journeys.”
Mr. McKenzie will be in attendance at NHH from 11:00a.m. to 1:00p.m. on March 14, 2024 – World Kidney Day – to share his story and highlight the prevalence of Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD), the importance of education, and awareness around the risks of kidney disease, as well as the benefits of live organ donation. His information booth will be set up beside the Main Street Bistro of NHH where Mr. McKenzie will be proudly sporting his bright green Transplant Ambassador Program (TAP) vest.
World Kidney Day is an annual global campaign that takes place the second Thursday in March and was created to raise awareness of the importance of kidneys to overall health, and to reduce the frequency and impact of kidney disease and its associated health problems.
The theme of this year’s campaign is Kidney Health for All - Advancing Equitable Access to Care and Optimal Medication Practice.
Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) is a non-communicable disease affecting 1 in 10 people worldwide and is projected to become the 5th leading cause of premature death globally, by 2040.
Clinical preventative interventions to CKD include early check-ups, blood pressure and glycemic control, as well as management of co-morbidities such as cardiovascular disease.
For more information on World Kidney Day, visit www.worldkidneyday.org, and for more information on TAP or to connect with a Transplant Ambassador, visit www.transplantambassadors.ca.
For details on the interdisciplinary dialysis services available today at NHH, including the team’s outreach Pre-Dialysis and Nephrology Clinic for individuals with reduced kidney function, please visit nhh.ca/Patients/PatientCareServices/OutpatientCare/Dialysis