Many thanks to BC Renal project manager Janet Williams as she retires After more than 15 years as a project manager with BC Renal, Janet Williams is retiring to begin new adventures. Janet’s focus has been managing the work of the provincial Hemodialysis and Kidney Care committees, and she has also worked closely with the Renal Educators and Vascular Access Educators groups. | | “I feel so lucky to have worked with BC Renal,” says Janet. “It has been a pleasure for me to work with such an amazing group of dedicated clinicians and staff, all of whom share a common goal of providing the best possible care for patients. That explains why I came for the short-term and stayed for the long-term!” We reached out to a few colleagues to share their thoughts about Janet’s role and contributions over the years, and they all echoed the significant impact she’s had on clinical care and improving the lives of people living with kidney disease across the province. Read full story | Appreciating Interior Health leader
Susan Brown as she retires Upon learning that Interior Health president and chief executive officer (CEO) Susan Brown is retiring, we wanted to acknowledge her significant impact on kidney care in BC. Having started her career 34 years ago as a nurse in the emergency department of Vancouver General Hospital, she has served in multiple leadership positions around BC, including the last seven years as CEO. | | “Susan has been an amazing supporter of the BC Renal network’s kidney community spanning her leadership positions, first at Fraser Health and then at Interior Health,” says Dr. Adeera Levin, BC Renal executive director. “She has been very committed to innovation and patient-centred solutions, and the BC Renal community has been proud to have her support. We wish her well in her future endeavours.”
To learn more about Susan’s dedication and innovation, please see Interior Health’s announcement. | Recognizing contributions of committee chairs Drs. Mike Copland and Dan Martinusen | This spring, we shared the following with members of the BC Renal network via email, and we would like to once again recognize here the many outstanding committee contributions of Drs. Mike Copland and Dan Martinusen. Both are wrapping up as chairs of provincial committees this year, providing the opportunity for new leaders to guide the vital work each committee undertakes. | | Thanking Dr. Mike Copland for his 20+ years of leadership with the Home Hemodialysis Committee After more than two decades, Dr. Mike Copland – the founding chair of the BC Renal Home Hemodialysis (HHD) Committee – is stepping down from this role after the recruitment of a new chair. Through Mike’s committed leadership, significant advancements in provincial home hemodialysis practices and care have been achieved, positively impacting the lives of patients across the province and the sustainability of the health system. Read full story Thanking Dr. Dan Martinusen for 26 years of leadership with the BC Renal Pharmacy Services Committee After more than 26 years of dedicated leadership, Dr. Dan Martinusen will be stepping down as chair of the BC Renal Pharmacy Services Committee following the recruitment of a new chair. Under Dan’s guidance, BC Renal and its network have achieved significant advancements in renal pharmacy services, enhancing medication access, optimizing patient care, supporting system sustainability and establishing BC as a leader in this field. Read full story | Celebrating Indigenous Cultures | Highlighting Indigenous contributions to Planetary Health Strategy |  June was National Indigenous History Month when we honoured the cultures and contributions of First Nations, Métis, Inuit, and all Indigenous Peoples in Canada. This spring, BC Renal introduced our Planetary Health Strategy, and we would like to take this opportunity to highlight the important roles of Chief Michael Recalma, as both an Indigenous leader and patient partner,
| | Handout: Fluid restriction, including Chinese foods See our patient handout updated in Feb. 2025 that covers why patients need to limit fluid intake, how much fluid they can drink, and what counts as fluid. Also includes tips to reduce fluid intake. Available in English and Traditional Chinese (繁體中文). | | Handout: Diet, including Chinese foods, to manage high uric acid levels and gout See our patient handout updated in May 2025 that explains what uric acid is, how it’s related to gout, how gout affects the body, and what food and drinks to focus on, reduce or avoid. Available in English and Traditional Chinese (繁體中文). | | Thanks to the BC Renal Dietitians Practice Group for updating these resources! | Updated & New HD Guidelines | Guideline for hemodialysis nurses: Managing complications during hemodialysis Updated in Mar. 2025, this multi-page provincial guideline for hemodialysis nurses provides detailed recommendations for managing more than 10 kinds of complications. See Nursing management of complications during hemodialysis
Thanks to the BC Renal Hemodialysis Committee for approving the update of this resource! | | Thanks to the BC Renal Hemodialysis Committee and the BC Renal Medical Advisory Group for approving these resources from 2024 that were updated earlier this year! | Encouraging conversations about what really matters to patients International “What Matters to You?” Day was on June 3, reminding us of the value of this simple yet powerful question. Health-care providers, do you ask your patients what matters to them in their care? Patients, has a health-care provider ever asked you what truly matters to you? The goal of asking this question is to move away from "what's the matter," and toward understanding what really matters to patients as well as their caregivers and families. Watch this 1-minute video by Health Quality BC to learn more. | | Visit the websites of our kidney-related partner organizations for additional resources, events and information: | 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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