Couple shares home hemodialysis experience and new hope

Addressing questions and concerns about PD and intimacy

Hear directly from kidney patient Richard McGregor and his partner Sharon Winter about how they became comfortable managing life-sustaining hemodialysis treatment for Richard at their home in Quesnel, BC. After learning how to use the home hemodialysis machine, they both have new hope for many more enjoyable years together, and in Sharon’s words, “a lot of living to do.”

Thank you to Richard, Sharon, retired nurse Susan Rawlings, Dr. Anurag Singh. the Northern Health Home Hemodialysis Program, Northern Health, and the BC Renal provincial Home Hemodialysis Committee.

Watch the 5-minute short video here or learn more from the 30-minute long version.

In this 7-minute BC Renal video, a peritoneal dialysis (PD) nurse thoughtfully shares information and tips for PD patients and their partners who may have concerns or questions about intimacy. The video also provides perspectives of different patient voices. Topics are covered in short segments and include: Body Image and Feelings, Fatigue, Shortness of Breath, Changes That May Happen, Stress and Depression, Asking for Help, and Frequently Asked Questions. A positive outlook on being able to have intimacy is also included.

Thank you to the patient perspectives included in this video as well as the BC Renal provincial Peritoneal Dialysis Committee.

Watch the video here

Over the past several years, BC Renal has strived to grow a successful patient and family engagement network — one in which engagement is meaningful, and patient and family voices are considered on individual, program and system levels. To ensure continuous quality improvement, we regularly evaluate our progress — in large part through partnership experience surveys of patient partners, committee chairs, project managers and staff. Read full article

In 2019, Tamara Graham's journey as a patient partner began with a chance encounter at the Nanaimo Kidney Care Clinic. "I always say they were clever," she jokes. "I was at the clinic for an appointment, and saw they'd placed a BC Renal poster in their washroom, seeking non-dialysis patient volunteers."

This was four years after Tamara’s initial diagnosis, and despite the stability of her limited remaining kidney function, she could no longer work as a police dispatcher. She did however feel called to make a difference. "I liked the idea of working with people committed to kidney care," she says, "and, with my disease, I knew I'd be part of the kidney community forever." Read full story

BC Renal is pleased to welcome Dr. Melanie Brown as our new senior medical lead, provincial quality and data. In this part-time role, Melanie will support enhanced usability of data across clinical teams and bring a clinical perspective to strategic issues affecting quality of care and evaluation. Her responsibilities include co-chairing the PROMIS Steering Committee and attending various health authority renal program meetings on behalf of BC Renal, where she will support cross-health authority collaboration and provide provincial perspective and counsel.

Thank you to Dr. John Antonsen

We would also like to extend a big thank you to Dr. John Antonsen who served for three years as a BC Renal senior medical lead. In this role, he supported provincial alignment across health authority renal programs and provincial committees, operational issues with provincial impact on quality and patient care, pandemic operational response, and leadership of the medical advisory group.
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Geographical disparities in clinical research have long contributed to health inequities between urban and rural BC — but nephrologist Dr. Anurag Singh is looking to challenge that status quo in his new leadership position, heading up an innovative northern research centre.

When Anurag first moved to Prince George a decade ago, he was inspired by a small but mighty community of local health researchers, whose dedication to improving health outcomes across northern BC underscored a need for expanded clinical research opportunities. Read full story

After 10 years, the provincial Renal Dietitians Practice Group has said a big thank you and good-bye to Meredith Cushing who has left her position with BC Children’s Hospital.

Since then, the group has welcomed Elizabeth Leung who has taken on the role of dietitian on the BC Children’s Nephrology Outreach team.