World Kidney Day (WKD) is a global health awareness campaign focusing on the importance of the kidneys and reducing the frequency and impact of kidney disease and its associated health problems worldwide.
The campaign is celebrated every year on the second Thursday of March in more than 100 countries on 6 continents.
WKD is a joint initiative of the International Society of Nephrology (ISN) and the International Federation of Kidney Foundations.
About our Kidneys
The main job of our kidneys is to remove toxins and excess water from our blood. Kidneys also help to control our blood pressure, to produce red blood cells and to keep our bones healthy. Roughly the size of fists, kidneys are located deep in the abdomen, beneath the rib cage.
The prevalence of kidney diseases is increasing dramatically and the cost of treating chronic diseases, represents a leading threat to healthcare resources worldwide.
Kidney diseases develop slowly and the symptoms only appear at a late stage when the patient already has kidney failure and may even need dialysis. Renal Replacement Therapy (RTT) requires major burdensome lifestyle changes for the patient and is extremely costly for any country�s healthcare system. A routine test of urine, blood and blood pressure can reassure or detect if there are any early signs of kidney problems. The needed laboratory tests are done on small samples of blood and urine. When your kidneys are damaged, proteins leaks into your urine.
On WKD we are calling on everyone to check if they are at risk for kidney disease and encouraging more people to take a simple kidney function test. Screening is essential for people considered to be at-risk of kidney disease. The early detection of kidney impairment is essential and allows suitable treatment before kidney damage or deterioration manifests itself through other complications.
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