Kidney disease turns life upside down for one in 10 New Zealanders – yet there is not a lot of public awareness or funding support available.

Fortunately the Kidney Society is there to help those suffering from renal failure, providing practical advice and emotional care on a daily basis. Last year they helped around 3000 patients in the upper North Island, including 348 people living in the Bay of Plenty.

Our kidneys are responsible for cleaning our blood by removing waste products, excessive electrolytes and fluid to produce urine. They also keep our bones healthy and produce hormones to control blood pressure and regulate the production of red blood cells.

But there are many health issues that can lead to permanent kidney damage. Diabetes and uncontrolled high blood pressure are two leading contributors, but nephritis (inflammation of the kidneys), inherited conditions, Lupus, kidney stones and repeated kidney infections can also contribute to a loss of kidney function.

Life-Threatening Condition

The Kidney Society’s Community Health Educator, Brian Murphy, says kidney disease can affect anyone, of any background, age or ethnicity. Numbers are growing by about 10% a year as poverty and poor lifestyle choices fuel an increase in diabetes in particular.

Progression of the disease is classified into five stages, with the most severe cases having 15% or less of normal kidney function. Those patients must rely on dialysis to stay alive while they await a kidney transplant – if one ever becomes available.

“Our clients normally get short of breath due to carrying excessive fluid and have low energy levels because they may have a low red blood cell count. Once the kidneys are not working, the whole body struggles,” Brian explains.

“When you get down to around 6-10% remaining kidney function, people also get a lot of brain fog. Their thinking process is not as sharp and as clear as what it used to be because the brain is struggling to get the messages through all the toxins that have built up.”

Brian says New Zealand’s health system does a good job of providing the medical care required. But the Kidney Society fills a gap by providing much-needed education, advice and emotional support.

“My job is to help people decipher the information they’ve been given. I tell them what questions they should be asking their medical team, because you don’t know what you don’t know. We walk beside them, giving direction on what to expect and what their expectations should be.”

Having to go on dialysis has life-changing consequences, whether you’re young and wanting to live life to the full, are mid-career, or those who are recently retired and want to travel.

“Your quality of life is never the same. If you do hemodialysis at the hospital, you get four hours every second day. So that’s quite minimal when your kidneys normally work 24 hours, seven days a week. If you’re on peritoneal dialysis, then you’re getting 10 hours out of 24 being filtered. So it’s still not as good as a healthy working kidney. Your energy levels are never going to be as good again.”

Wrap-Around Support

Brian worked as a nurse for almost 20 years at Middlemore Hospital in the 1980s and 1990s, with a large portion of that time in their renal service. He subsequently worked in the marine industry for over a decade before joining the Kidney Society in his current role.

“I’m no longer practising as a nurse and am a support person now. I’m always learning and it’s forever changing but it’s quite valuable to have that nursing background and insight.”

Brian helps hundreds of kidney patients across Waikato, Bay of Plenty, Tairawhiti and Hawke’s Bay. His support extends to home visits, emails, text messages, phone calls, visits to dialysis units, liaising with medical staff and running community education sessions.

“Every client’s values, goals and health issues are different. You want to be positive and give encouragement but also put a silver lining on the grey cloud that’s sitting over them. So it is quite a challenge. It’s just about providing resources and support, and letting them know they’re not alone.”

BayTrust has granted $20,000 to help support Brian’s work in the Bay of Plenty. “For not-for-profits, getting money can be quite a challenge. Kidney disease is a very low priority in a lot of people’s eyes. It’s not as high profile or as well supported as other diseases or conditions that are out there. We are always looking at our services to see how we can save money, so this grant will make a big difference to support our clients in this area.”

Brian says he enjoys being able to make a difference in people’s lives – whether that’s helping them to understand their condition or just being a friendly ear for them to unload. “Being able to visit people in their own environment on their terms is wonderful. I’m here to help patients with kidney conditions and their families to live their best possible lives.”