Watch: The importance of urine testing for people with diabetes to reduce the risk of kidney disease
Dispelling myths and raising awareness of the real facts about kidney disease this Thursday (13th March) on World Kidney Day.
World Kidney Day is an annual campaign to help raise awareness of kidneys and show the impact when they do not work properly.
The day aims to educate people on what kidneys do, the symptoms of kidney disease and how to improve your kidney health.
This year World Kidney Day is held on Thursday, 13th March and DRWF is joining organisations in the kidney community to support their thought-provoking campaign that aims to change attitudes.
An article on the “diabetes timebomb” by Dr Zoe Markham-Lee and Swati Bhagat-Jones, MCSP of Kidney Research UK, said: “Diabetes is a leading cause of end-stage kidney failure. Almost one in three people with diabetes will go on to develop kidney disease, and 18% of patients requiring dialysis have diabetic nephropathy as the primary identifiable renal disease in the UK (UK Renal Registry, 2024).
“More than 7 million people are already living with kidney disease in the UK. This is over 10% of the population, and the figure is expected to rise to 7.6 million by 2033. People living with diabetes, high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease and obesity are at particular risk of developing kidney disease, and the number of people with these conditions is increasing (Kidney Research UK, 2023).”
Watch: Dr Kevin Fernando explains the importance of a urine ACR test here
The urine albumin creatinine ratio (ACR) test is a test for looking into your kidney health. It is vital for those at risk of heart disease, diabetes, raised blood pressure and if you have a family history of kidney disease.
A statement from Kidney Research UK said: “Remember protect your kidneys to protect your heart!”
The Kidney Charities Together (KCT) group has launched a new campaign for World Kidney Day 2025 called 'Don’t Kid Yourself'.
The campaign focusses on challenging the myths about kidney disease and shedding light on the true facts.
The Kidney Charities Together Group coordinates the World Kidney Day activity in the UK. The Group consists of Kidney Care UK, Kidney Research UK, Kidney Wales, the National Kidney Federation, the Polycystic Kidney Disease (PKD) Charity, Popham Kidney Support and the UK Kidney Association.
A statement from Kidney Charities Together said: “We will be using common myths to raise awareness of the true realities, sharing facts and stats and equipping people with downloadable tools and assets to spread the word.”
For ways to get involved click here
To help slow the impending crisis of kidney disease in the UK, there are multiple ways to support research and patient care. A key aim is to prevent as many people with diabetes and cardiovascular disease as possible from experiencing kidney failure and slowing chronic kidney disease (CKD) progression.
Read How people with diabetes can prevent kidney complications
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