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Jackie's Story

The Kidney Foundation has also connected me with a community and given me a support network that makes life with kidney disease a little bit easier.
Kidney cancer isn’t the most well-known form of cancer or even kidney disease. But for me, it’s always been part of my life—ever since I was diagnosed with Wilms tumour at just 10 months old. The disease is the most common type of kidney cancer in children, and it’s usually diagnosed between ages two to four years old. Mine was caught even sooner. As a result, I had one full kidney and a partial kidney removed when I was still a baby. 

Now at 36, I require dialysis as I wait for my name to come up on the transplant list. And even though it’s been a challenging few years since I started my dialysis treatments, getting involved with the Kidney Foundation of Canada has really helped. 

On a practical level, donor support means the Foundation can help me with short term financial assistance for essentials like gas and groceries. It helps relieve some of the financial pressure that living with a chronic illness has caused. And on a social level, The Kidney Foundation has also connected me with a community and given me a support network that makes life with kidney disease a little bit easier. 

As a volunteer, I help support the Kidney Walk every year—planning it alongside others and working hard to raise critical funds. These funds make research and support programs possible for people like me who live with the daily reality of kidney cancer. They also provide hope. 

Every research study, every new treatment, every support group signals a brighter future for people with kidney diseases like cancer. Because we are working towards better healthcare options, more reliable information, and a stronger community that can help people with kidney disease thrive. 

If you care about making the future better for people with kidney cancer and other forms of kidney disease, please donate to The Kidney Foundation of Canada. You will make a positive difference in people’s lives, just like donors have made a positive impact on mine.