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The Kidney Foundation of Canada would like to extend a huge congratulations to Dr. Janine Farragher for being awarded as Canada Research Chair (Tier 2) in Life Participation and Kidney Disease. This is an honour awarded to researchers who have demonstrated research excellence in their fields, allowing them the opportunity to push the needle further and affect the lives of Canadians – this is exactly what Dr. Farragher hopes to do with her new appointment.

Dr. Farragher is a registered occupational therapist with a PhD in Rehabilitation Sciences from the University of Toronto. She currently works as an assistant professor at the University of Toronto in the Department of Occupational Science & Occupational Therapy. Her research focuses on how to better support those with kidney disease in “continuing to live the lives they want to lead”.

Occupational therapists play invaluable roles in supporting those with kidney disease to find balance in their life by building strategies to manage both day-to-day tasks as well as the added responsibilities and challenges that arise with kidney disease. Through this lens, Dr. Farragher’s research examines both the physical and mental burden of kidney disease, aiming to build self-management tools and strategies for kidney patients to maintain autonomy and increase capacity to live their life the way they wish.

The Kidney Foundation is always excited to see our collaborators and trainees excel in their career, and we are proud to have supported Dr. Farragher through our Kidney Research Scientist Core Education and National Training program, or KRESCENT program. Having participated in all three stages of KRESCENT – as an allied health doctoral fellow, postdoctoral fellow, and now a new investigator – Dr. Farragher says she “can't overstate the positive impact KRESCENT has had on [her] research and ability to achieve [her] career goals.” From providing access to expertise from instructors and mentors to facilitating collaborations, she gained key exposure to people, research, and initiatives that allowed her to kick start her career.

As a cross-disciplinary national training program, KRESCENT brings together trainees, mentors, and experts from all over the country, each with a shared goal to improve the lives of people with kidney disease. This allows for unparalleled networking opportunities. To Dr. Farragher, this was the most impactful part of her KRESCENT journey, noting that the networking opportunities afforded “resulted in more fruitful relationships, collaborations, and publications than [she] can even count or keep track of.” Through her early KRESCENT connections, she even met her future post-doctoral supervisor, Dr. Brenda Hemmelgarn, demonstrating the direct impact KRESCENT had on her education and career trajectory. Dr. Farragher’s experience through KRESCENT enabled her to flourish as a researcher and professor, and now as a Canada Research Chair.

“The KRESCENT program [gave] me all the tools and opportunities that I needed to be successful in kidney disease research, especially as an allied health professional who otherwise might not have been in those rooms and met those people [or] made those connections… I cannot overstate its impact!”

As a Canada Research Chair, Dr. Farragher is excited to continue to “produce research that is going to help improve the lives of people with kidney disease”. With many ongoing projects, she centers her research on a patient-focused model to ensure her work directly impacts patient experiences.

A prime example of the projects Dr. Farragher and her team work on is the Personal Energy Program or “PEP”, which is an online energy management program to help kidney patients manage fatigue. Dr. Farragher describes this program as a way to “learn how to budget your energy” as patients can breakdown their routines, determine where they are getting fatigued, and strategize ways to reduce fatigue by conserving their energy. With many kidney patients suffering from fatigue, programs like this can have significant impact on their quality of life.

With rapidly increasing awareness of the effects kidney disease has on quality of life, Dr. Farragher is a huge proponent of other allied healthcare professionals entering research. Allied health professionals, like occupational therapists, have unique perspectives on patient care and patient experience, adding immense value. To allied healthcare professionals thinking of going into research, Dr. Farragher notes the Kidney Foundation of Canada is “a great resource for allied health researchers in the field” as it offers numerous scholarships and grants for allied health researchers at all stages and levels of experience.

The Kidney Foundation of Canada could not be prouder to see one of our KRESCENT trainees excelling in their career, opening doors for new researchers, and conducting the important work to improve the lives of people living with kidney disease. Congratulations again, Dr. Farragher, on your accomplishments and being awarded Canada Research Chair.