Thomas Ng, Patient Partner At only 13 years old, Thomas Ng was diagnosed with lupus nephritis, an autoimmune condition that causes inflammation of the kidneys. By the time he was an undergrad at UBC, he was studying engineering and living the life of an average university student – all the while receiving rounds of dialysis. “Let’s just say I had more dialysis than hot dinners during those days,” Thomas jokes. Now, several decades, countless treatments, and two kidney transplants later, this BC Renal patient partner is using his lifelong journey with kidney disease – and the years he spent in BC’s health-care system – to help shape the future of kidney care province-wide. Read full profile | | Dr. John Gill among new fellows appointed to the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences Congratulations to transplant nephrologist Dr. John Gill on his recent appointment to the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences! John is one of 49 new fellows inducted into the academy for 2024, a milestone widely considered to be one of the greatest honours for individuals in the Canadian health sciences community. “This recognition honours the dedication and excellence of recipients in their respective fields,” said Dr. Sylvie Nadeau, chair of the Fellowship Committee. “We look forward to their expertise enriching the work of our academy.” A tenured professor with the UBC Division of Nephrology and experienced clinician and kidney researcher, John has received international recognition for his work with kidney and organ transplantation – including numerous leadership roles and the supervision of clinical and research trainees. | | Leslie Godwin begins new role with Interior Health’s Central and Northern Okanagan regions Congratulations to Leslie Godwin who is starting on November 12 as the renal clinical operations manager for the Central and Northern Okanagan regions! As shared by Interior Health’s Renal and Transplant Services, Leslie has been with the health authority since 1997 and has extensive clinical experience in acute, community, and long-term care, providing leadership across local and regional portfolios. In her new role, she will manage the Kelowna General Hospital (KGH) Hemodialysis In-Centre Unit, KGH renal outpatient clinics, Kelowna Community Dialysis Unit, and the Vernon Community Dialysis Unit. We echo Interior Health’s gratitude to Jesse Colbeck who will continue to provide support while transitioning the portfolio to Leslie. | | Palliative Care Committee | Members share evolution of renal
palliative quality metrics report at BC symposium |  Sushila Saunders, BC Renal director of home therapies and palliative care, and Dr. Gaylene Hargrove, chair of our provincial Palliative Care Committee, recently presented on “Measuring the Quality of a Palliative Approach to Kidney Care” at the BC Centre for Palliative Care’s bi-annual symposium in October. The provincial conference highlights innovative approaches to integrate palliative care throughout the patient and family journey.
The BC Renal presentation summarized the evolution of renal palliative quality metrics reporting across BC over the last 10 years. Provincial renal palliative quality indicators outline renal care that is attentive to the patient voice within the illness trajectory, in both advance care planning and understanding the impact of commonly experienced symptoms.
“Representing BC Renal at this conference - the only cross-sector provincial event dedicated to palliative care - is a crucial opportunity to showcase our work and achievements,” says Sushila. “It also serves as a key platform for fostering collaborations with the BC Centre for Palliative Care and other provincial palliative care organizations. These collaborations are essential to advancing our shared goals of integrating a palliative approach to patient care.”
For information and resources, see our Palliative Care web pages for health professionals and
for patients.
| Renal Social Work Council | Renal social work council develops online platform to enhance their work |  The BC-wide Renal Social Work Professional Practice Council consists of members across all regional health authorities. It champions the renal social work role and acts as a forum for collaboration, evidence-based practice, clinical standardization, and advocacy.
Through the Provincial Health Services Authority (PHSA), the membership has been able to create a MS Teams and SharePoint space - one common, secure, online platform accessible to all BC renal social workers. “This has helped modernize, streamline and optimize our ability to share information as a group, and acts as a repository that allows for more efficient communication of resources, changes in staff, and real-time collaboration on documents, working groups, education and learning opportunities,” says council co-chair Kristie Nagata. “Ultimately, it’s helping us to be better prepared to support our patients.” As with all new technology, adjusting to the new online workspace has required some learning, but also has provided added benefits. “There has already been positive feedback, with new renal social workers indicating that it eased their transition into renal practice,” says council co-chair Taylor Nicholls, adding that the council expects the platform to evolve, change and grow over time. For patients looking for social work information, see BC Renal’s Social Work Support web page. | BC kidney donor shares experience in Global TV interview | Share our Kidney Health Challenge with Chinese and Punjabi speaking family and friends | | Interested in learning more about the experiences and perspectives of living kidney donors? Check out this Global News interview from earlier this fall where Aggie Black – a registered nurse and director at Providence Healthcare – shares her story of donating a kidney through the Kidney Paired Donation Program. Of her life-saving decision, she says, “I was inspired by people whose lives have been extended by kidney donation, and who are alive because of receiving a kidney transplant.” Also see our Living Donor Kidney Transplant web page to learn step by step about the process. | Our short, animated #KidneyHealthChallenge video is now available in Chinese (廣東話/繁體中文) and Punjabi (ਪੰਜਾਬੀ)! The video was developed with the general population in mind to help promote healthy kidneys and overall wellness. Follow along with our 31 tips – including recipe and snack ideas, easy exercises, activities to improve mental health, and more! Please note that food and drink tips aren’t intended for kidney patients. Thank you to our BC Renal patient partners for providing feedback on the translations! For your English speaking family and friends, check out the video in English! | | How to Drop, Cover and Hold On |  In case you missed it, The Great British Columbia ShakeOut, an annual earthquake preparedness drill, took place on October 17 at 10:17 am. At that time, people across the province did the ‘drop, cover and hold on’ practice for two minutes - the time it takes for the shaking to stop during an earthquake. The photo here is courtesy of the Hemodialysis Emergency Support Team nurses who took part.To do a similar drill, drop to the ground, take cover under a table or desk and hold on as if a real earthquake was occurring. While taking cover, look around and imagine what would happen in a major earthquake. What would fall? What would be damaged? What steps can be taken to make your environment safer? Consider what to do after the shaking stops.
BC Renal tips for kidney health professionals:
- Update all patient demographic information in PROMIS, including address and contact phone numbers.
- Ensure passwords are current for quick log-on to the PROMIS Emergency Management module.
- Review emergency preparations with your teams and patients.
- Follow the process to activate the Emergency Task Group (ETG) if support from BC Renal and the renal network is needed.
More information and resources: | Originally planned for fall 2025, our next BC Kidney Days conference in Vancouver has been postponed until 2026. The conference typically attracts around 500 kidney care professionals, administrators and patient partners from the entire spectrum of kidney care, and provides an excellent opportunity for networking, collaboration, education and knowledge translation. | | Event Spotlight - Province Wide Rounds (for health professionals and patient partners)
- Patient Education Webinars (for patients and others interested)
| Want to stay up to date with other BC Renal news and events? Subscribe to our mailing lists. | | We acknowledge with gratitude that our BC Renal offices are located on the traditional, unceded territory of the Coast Salish, home of the Musqueam, Tsleil-Waututh and Squamish peoples, as well as the Métis chartered communities of the Lower Mainland | | | | |
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