Help Improve the Lives of Those Affected by Polycystic Kidney Disease This July By Voting for PKD Charity!
In the UK, around 70,000 adults and children may have polycystic kidney disease (PKD). PKD Charity is there to support those affected, along with their families and carers. They work to improve the lives of anyone affected by PKD, as well as to bring hope for the future, and to make PKD irrelevant and ultimately, curable.
What is Polycystic Kidney Disease?
Polycystic kidney disease is a range of genetic disorders that can cause kidney failure and damage to other organs in the body. Sometimes, it can also result in premature death in both adults and children. It occurs in both men and women equally. There are two major forms of the condition:
ADPKD (Autosomal Dominant Polycystic Kidney Disease) - The world’s most common inherited kidney disease, affecting around 12.5 million people worldwide. The condition causes fluid-filled cysts to develop, multiply and grow in both kidneys, and can also affect other organs including the liver and brain. It can cause regular pain, disability and anxiety throughout life, and for people with the disease, there is a 50% chance that it will be passed on to each child born. Sadly, over half of the people affected by the condition will have kidney failure by the time they turn 60.
ARPKD (Autosomal Recessive Polycystic Kidney Disease) - A severe and rare disease affecting the kidneys and liver that occurs in around 1 in 20,000 births in the UK. Sadly, one in three babies die from breathing problems during the first four weeks after birth, while others will die during pregnancy. However, around 80-90% of babies who survive the first four weeks of life will still be alive at five years old. Thankfully, many children with ARPKD now survive into adulthood and have the ability to lead full and productive lives.
PKD Charity Core Aims
Support
The charity provides support to individual patients, as well as their families and carers. They provide information on PKD at every stage of the condition, and are also there to provide understanding and reassurance, as well as practical and emotional support. Their support services include their helpline, literature, webinars, and online meet ups, which provide support across communities here in the UK.
Raising Awareness
The charity also works to raise awareness of PKD, taking every opportunity to bring it to attention among healthcare professionals, the public and the media; not just nationally, but internationally too. PKD Charity represents and expresses the needs of patients and their families to commissioners, pharma’s and researchers.
Research
PKD Charity also continues to build a research fund, which will enable them to support top quality research into the condition, so that treatments and ultimately, a cure can be found. Through collaborating nationally and internationally with health and social care professionals, other kidney charities, scientists and industries, they are able to bring the most up to date knowledge to those affected by the condition. In turn, this promotes further research and integrated care.
How You Can Help
There are many ways in which you can support PKD Charity’s work to improve the lives of those affected by the condition. One of which is by voting for them in our July charity poll, where you can give them the chance to win 20% of this month’s profits! Cast your vote for PKD Charity this July and help bring hope to patients and their families. Thank you.
Find out more about PKD Charity and their work, along with how you can support them further by visiting their website.