It’s our mission to ensure no one faces kidney disease alone and this is has never been more important than in the last nine months.
The impact of the Coronavirus pandemic on kidney patients has been huge. The need to shield has limited time with family and friends. Staying at home has made it harder, often impossible to work. And for many patients, medical appointments or operations have been delayed or cancelled. All of this has directly affected their mental and physical health and quality of life.
We’ve been working tirelessly to ensure that kidney patients continue to feel connected during this challenging time - whether that be frequently updating our website with the most current advice and guidance for patients, adapting our UK wide advocacy service to offer virtual appointments or doubling our telephone counselling capacity to ensure we are there for every patient struggling to cope with the pressures and anxieties that come with living with kidney disease and coronavirus.
But we can’t continue to do this without your support. Please give a gift so we can ensure kidney patients feel connected into 2021 and beyond.
Below are just a couple of examples of how, thanks to the support of our generous donors, we’ve helped kidney patients keep connected.
Dee’s Story
From worrying about shielding to dealing with feelings of isolation and health anxiety, Kidney Care UK’s counselling service has never been more in need. Dee Durham, one of the counsellors says “It’s been our role to be there on the end of the phone, to offer a safe space to talk and to give everyone that much needed connection.”
People who have used the Kidney Care UK counselling service often remark how amazing it is to speak to someone who really understands what they’re going through.
We help people to find their own route through their lives calmly and purposefully, and show them there is light at the end of the tunnel.
Recently Dee helped a young lady in London was diagnosed with Chronic Kidney Disease at the start of lockdown. She had nowhere to turn for information or support and phoned Dee in distress, not understanding her condition or how she was supposed to go on. Dee was able to talk through the disease, the possible progression and how she could manage her health condition.
“It’s this specialist knowledge, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic, that has allowed people with kidney disease to look objectively at their situation and plan accordingly” Dee says. “We help people to find their own route through their lives calmly and purposefully, and show them there is light at the end of the tunnel.”
George and Rhona's story
We check the website every day and can’t thank you enough for such a vital resource
George and Rhona Mears have never been a couple to sit indoors and while away the hours, but with George in advanced kidney failure and on the transplant list, the coronavirus pandemic made that decision for them. Shielding, not working and unable to see family and friends, the couple have ensured that they’ve kept on top of the latest advice by using Kidney Care UK’s COVID-19-specific services.
“The Kidney Care UK website has been our go-to source as the government advice around shielding changed. The website is always absolutely up-to-date and we know it will be completely relevant to our situation, giving us the information we need. ” said Rhona.