Lynn Clarke
Kidney disease can affect anyone at any time. Knowing the risk factors can help you avoid its life-changing impact.
A decade ago, Lynn Clarke, 64, of Toronto went to her doctor for some routine bloodwork. The results showed protein in her urine, and follow-up tests confirmed she had chronic kidney disease.
Kidney disease describes a variety of conditions and disorders that affect the kidney. Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is the presence of kidney damage or decreased kidney function for three months or more. CKD can range from mild to severe and, in some cases, lead to end-stage kidney disease (ESKD).1
Recent estimates suggest that over four million Canadians have chronic kidney disease or are at risk — and most are unaware of it.2 Clarke was one of them prior to her diagnosis. Other than having high blood pressure for many years, she had no known risk factors.
Disease progression leads to decreased kidney function
Over the years, Clarke went for regular checks to monitor her kidney function. In 2020, one year after getting married, she learned there had been a marked decrease in her kidney function and she needed dialysis treatments until she could get a kidney transplant. She started in-hospital training treatments three times a week before switching to home hemodialysis. “It took me a while to get comfortable with it, but I now do it myself overnight four to five nights a week,” says Clarke.
While home dialysis affords Clarke more flexibility as she waits for an eligible kidney donor, she admits “I do feel like I’m tethered to my machine.” Travelling is challenging and requires significant advanced planning. Since starting dialysis, Clarke’s travel has been restricted to mostly brief, one or two-night stays. “I did manage a trip to Jamaica, where I’m originally from, because it’s only a four-hour flight and I have connections there, but beyond that, I haven’t had the courage. There’s always the fear of what happens if there’s an emergency,” says Clarke. Aside from limiting a patient’s life, CKD imposes additional responsibilities on family members. “I went on dialysis a year after I got married, so suddenly my husband, who is very supportive, had to become a caregiver without much preparation,” she says.
Support through The Kidney Foundation
Clarke turned to The Kidney Foundation of Canada for support. In addition to funding research on kidney disease and organ donation and transplantation, the Foundation provides education, information, and support to people living with a kidney condition. “My medical team and family are great, but I also needed to have people around me with lived experience who understood what I was going through,” says Clarke. From day one, Clarke has felt welcomed and understood by her support team at the Foundation, referring to them as her kidney family. “Now as a volunteer, I’m happy to provide the same support that I received to other kidney patients,” she says.
Now as a volunteer, I’m happy to provide the same support that I received to other kidney patients.
With a higher mortality rate than some forms of cancer,3 awareness of kidney disease and its risk factors is crucial. If you are at risk, take action to learn more and get involved in programs that may assist you.
Think kidneys first and take The Kidney Foundation’s risk awareness quiz at kidney.ca/risk.
