Being young and donating a kidney – my experienceOn 9 June 2018, my life changed forever. I was out partying with friends when I received a call from the Hospital, stating that my dad was experiencing kidney failure. I dropped everything and rushed to the hospital to be with him. Once I arrived, the...

Patients and colleagues around us can often inspire us to think differentlyLindsay Chesterton, Consultant Nephrologlist, KQuIP DAYLife projectWorking in the NHS means that you are often surrounded by challenges. We can always strive for improvement but sometimes these obstacles can seem...

High street tech buys that are improving my home dialysis experienceSteve HewittI’m not a very techy person - DVD players passed me by. I was gifted a Blue Ray Player and used it once. I never had an iPod and haven't got an iPhone. The only gaming system that's been in the house was a mega drive II...

My experience of being a live kidney donorDennis CarverI first heard about altruistic, or non-directed, live kidney donation on a radio interview, and thought what a marvellous gift that was. That was almost a decade ago. I was still working full-time, so my thoughts didn’t translate into anything...

Acute Kidney Injury and COVID-19: A research studyManchester University NHS Foundation TrustAs the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic spread throughout Europe during the spring of 2020, initial reports focussed on the respiratory manifestations of the disease. As more data emerged from other...

The Story of my LifelineMaddy Warren, home haemodialysis22nd September 2020My fistula was created in 2004 following 5 excellent years on peritoneal dialysis (PD), a disastrous failed transplant attempt and a transition to haemodialysis (HD) as PD was no longer working too well. I was 19 and had just...

My fistula and meSteve, home haemodialysis patientMe and my fistula have had a pretty complicated relationship. Initially, I didn’t want one, but then reluctantly agreed to have one made in December 2017. I switched from PD and started needling in March 2018. At first I was embarrassed about the...

I want to help people to take control, not let dialysis be done to them, and start to feel better...Steve, home haemodialysis patientLearning the hard wayMy kidney journey begins about 20 years ago, when I had a biopsy to confirm my suspected diagnosis of IgA nephropathy. It was the day before the...

Starting peritoneal dialysis during the COVID-19 pandemicPaul, peritoneal dialysis patient, UKHow did you come to choose PD?When I was making the choice, I thought PD would make life easier for me – just to be able to move about freely during the day and do what I wanted. I think it allows you to...

Changes for the long termJohn, peritoneal dialysis patientI am a renal patient on peritoneal dialysis, and live with my wife Debbie – have done for 47 years!For a few years now, I have volunteered at my renal unit offering peer support. I get calls from the renal team asking if I can speak to...

Part 5. Happy new year Keith, Haemodialysis patient, UKOver the last year I have written reflections on how COVID-19 has affected my daily way of life, the themes were: Invincible to Vulnerable Having started dialysis in Dec 2016 I feel I had got my headspace and expectations pretty well sorted, but...

Part 4. UnshieldedKeith, Haemodialysis patient, UKThis was a Social Media question, and I have reproduced the responses made during a seven hour period from renal patients. I have intentionally not tidied it up apart from removing people’s names to show some raw feelings.KeithFreedom Well ur...

Part 3. What a difference a week makes...Keith, haemodialysis patient, UKIn my last blog added on 17th June I posted a feeling of exclusion, now following the latest unshielding guidance that has changed dramatically.I have been snuggled safe in a nest, I am now told from 1 August, it’s time to...

Part 2. Un-shielding - what it means for meKeith, haemodialysis patient, UKPicking up from where I left off last time, and almost a month has passed.COVID-19 has created a whole new layer of fear. The news is full of unlocking but as a ‘self-shielder’ all the guidance coming out, the new ‘Bubble...

Part 1. Invincible to vulnerableKeith, haemodialysis patient, UKI started in centre dialysis in December 2016 and realised very quickly, my need for routine in order to maintain a degree of control, provide headspace and stability. The timings of the session, the iPad to pass the time, reading books...

Cheshire and Merseyside Kidney Patient Information Network (CaMKIN): COVID-19 Q&AQ&A zoom session with Dr Hammed Anijeet, Kidney specialist at Royal Liverpool University HospitalI attended a brilliant shielding CaMKIN Q&A zoom session with the wonderful Dr Hammed Anijeet, Kidney specialist at Royal...

COVID-19 pandemic effects on renal dialysis patients in 2020Amanda Bevin, Renal Counselor, Kent and Canterbury NHS Foundation Trust

Managing anxiety during the COVID-19 pandemicAmanda Bevin, Renal Counselor, Kent and Canterbury NHS Foundation Trust

A kidney warrior's brave journey?Holly’s experience, transplant recipient, UK.Holly, a transplant recipient writes about her experiences on her website: Secondhand Life

How COVID-19 has transformed blood tests in my areaMark, transplant patient, UKBooking blood tests pre-COVIDFor transplant patients, it has always been a bit back to front at my unit – you’d go to your transplant clinic, be given your blood cards, and then have a review of your previous blood...

Self IsolationMaddy’s experience, dialysis patient, campaigner and advocate, UKKidney patient, campaigner, and advocate Maddy Warren talks about her experiences of self isolation during the coronavirus pandemic in the first of a two part blog. You can read it on the Kidney Care UK website here.

Involving patients in change and quality improvement adds a valuable new dimension to the projectJudy, peritoneal dialysis patient, DerbyHow our kidney care journey beganI was unaware of any problems with my kidneys until I had a blood test for other issues, some ten years ago, and my kidney...

Our collective Patient Voice is strong and powerful to effect change, behaviour and ultimately improvementNick Palmer, head of patient support and advocacy for Kidney Care UKMy name is Nick Palmer, I am Head of Patient Support and Advocacy for Kidney Care UK.Importantly I am a kidney patient and...

Include patients at the beginningLeeanne Lockley, quality improvement programme manager, KQuIPAs part of FabChange70, led by the Academy of Fab Stuff, the North West Fab ambassadors aimed to build a regional network of change agents, with no leader, no hierarchical power; a network that provides...