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The Kidney Foundation of Canada is pleased to announce that a number of its volunteers, along with innovators and leaders in kidney research and health care, and organ donation and transplantation have been named as recipients of the prestigious King Charles III Coronation Medal. “The Kidney Foundation lauds each of these tremendous individuals for their exemplary contributions; their individual and collective efforts provide world-class care and support to those living with and affected by kidney disease,” said Ms. Myles, National Executive Director of the Kidney Foundation. “They are innovators, disruptors and builders who make a positive difference every day.” Awardees include a wide array of researchers, health care and allied health professionals who have dedicated their careers to the pursuit of improved treatment options, prevention and innovation, and exemplary volunteers who are engaged with The Kidney Foundation through board and committee leadership, philanthropic endeavours. In British Columbia, Pia Schindler (Executive Director, BC and Yukon Branch) and Kurtis Krug (President, National Board of Directors) were pleased to present the Medal to recipients Dr. John Gill and Dr. Adeera Levin.

Dr. Adeera Levin

Dr. Adeera Levin has made transformative contributions in the modernization of global guidelines to prevent kidney failure. She advocates for patient rights to equitable access to care, and in the prevention of exploitation of vulnerable populations. And as a founding member of the Declaration of Istanbul Custodian Group she is a leader in the fight against human organ trafficking.

In 2015 she became the first Canadian and second woman to be elected president of the International Society of Nephrology. In the same year, Dr. Levin was also awarded The Order of Canada. Dr. Levin has more than 600 peer reviewed publications, and numerous book chapters, and many teaching and research awards.

Here in BC Dr. Levin heads the Division of Nephrology at The University of British Columbia and she is the long-time executive director of BC Renal. Dr. Levin was instrumental in bringing about the first and largest funded pan-Canadian grant ever awarded to study kidney disease—a $40 million Can-SOLVE CKD grant, of which she is one of 18 lead investigators Dr. Levin is also a founding member of the Kidney Foundation’s KRESCENT program (Kidney Research Scientist Education National Training program), where she is still today acting as senior advisor. Congratulations Dr. Levin for this well-deserved recognition.

Dr. John Gill

Dr. John Gill Professor of Medicine at The University of British Columbia, Division of Nephrology, St. Paul’s Hospital. He is an active researcher whose research interests include clinical outcomes in kidney transplant patients; access to kidney transplantation, living donor transplantation and cardiovascular risk in transplant patients.

He has served as the supervisor for Masters and PhD candidates at the UBC School of Population and Public Health. He is a past president of the Canadian Society of Nephrology and for the Canadian Organ Replacement Register Board of Directors.

Internationally, Dr. Gill previously served as a co-chair of the White House Research and Innovation in Transplantation Working Group under President Obama. Dr Gill currently serves on the Expert Advisory Panel of the United States Renal Data System.

Dr. Gill’s passion in the area of kidney transplantation can be seen in his involvement in establishing the Living Donor Circle of Excellence (LDCOE) program, which recognizes companies that support the lost wages of a living donor. He inspired the Kidney Foundation to become a partner in Canada of the program, and now many of our BC and Yukon Branch Board members have encouraged corporate organizations and government bodies to join. The ultimate goal of the program is to have global impact on the care and protection of all living organ donors. Congratulations Dr. Gill for this well-deserved recognition.