Virtual Patient Forums

2025 Virtual Patient Forum

Living Well with Kidney Disease | Navigating the Kidney Journey

The Kidney Foundation’s 2025 Virtual Patient Forum “Living Well with Kidney Disease | Navigating the Kidney Journey” will be held on February 25 and 26, starting at 12:00 pm EST. This engaging online event will feature expert-led sessions on kidney donation and transplantation, treatment modalities, symptom management strategies, and much more.

Plus, don’t miss a special cooking demonstration with celebrity baker Anna Olson, who will share tips for creating delicious, kidney-friendly recipes.

Whether you’re a patient, caregiver, healthcare professional, or simply interested in learning more about kidney health, this forum offers valuable insights and opportunities to connect with others in the community.

Don’t miss out—register today and be part of this inspiring event!

Below is the tentative schedule. Please note that session times and titles are subject to change, and we encourage you to check for updates closer to the event date.

Day 1:
12:00 pm – 12:15 pm: Day 1 Welcome
12:15 pm – 1:15 pm: Cooking Demonstration With Anna Olson
1:15 pm – 2:45 pm: Dialysis Treatment Modalities
2:45 pm – 2:55 pm: Movement Break
2:55 pm – 3:55 pm Working on Dialysis
3:55 pm – 4:55 pm: Symptom management
4:55 pm – 5:05 pm: Day 1 closing

Day 2:
12:00 pm – 12:05 pm: Day 2 Welcome
12:05 pm – 1:35 pm: Kidney-friendly diet
1:35 pm – 2:35 pm: Finding a Living Kidney Donor
2:35 pm – 2:40 pm: Movement Break
2:40 pm – 3:40 pm: Mental Health
3:40 pm – 4:40 pm: Research
4:40 pm – 4:50 pm Day 2 closing

The Forum will be held in English and French, with simultaneous translation in both languages.

• Virtual Patient Forum 2024

  Living Your Best Life with Kidney Disease

  Join us this March 6 and 7, 2024 for our fourth virtual educational forum.

  Developed in collaboration with people affected by kidney disease, their care partners, healthcare professionals, and researchers across Canada, this forum offers informative and interactive sessions covering various aspects of kidney health and disease management.

  Learn more about dialysis, mental health support options, kidney nutrition, the latest advances in kidney disease research and more. We’re also featuring an interactive art wellness session and an opportunity to cook virtually alongside a seasoned renal dietitian. Don’t miss it, register today!

  March 6, 2024

  Navigating the Living Kidney Donation Journey

  Empowering Yourself Through Peer Support

  Movement Break: Dance

  Cooking Demonstration

  Caregivers Corner

  March 7, 2024

  Balancing Kidney Nutrition: Plant-Based Food Substitutions

  The continuing evolution of the research landscape: Amplifying the voices and influence of people with lived experience

  Movement Break

  Home Dialysis Therapies

  Art for Wellness

  
  The Kidney Foundation would like to thank our 2024 Patient Forum sponsors for making this event possible.

  
• Virtual Patient Forum 2023

  Living Your Best Life with Kidney Disease

  Our third virtual educational forum was held on March 8 and 9, 2023.

  Developed in partnership with people diagnosed with kidney disease, care partners, healthcare professionals, and researchers all over Canada, this program offered trustworthy and up-to-date information to help you live your best life with kidney disease.

  All sessions are listed below:

  March 8, 2023
  The Financial Burden of Kidney Disease: Let’s Talk
  Traveling While on a Kidney Journey
  New Medications for Kidney Patients
  Family Life with Kidney Disease
  Breakout Session: Young Adults Transitioning Out of Paediatric Care
  Breakout Session: Family Planning and Kidney Disease
  Breakout Session: Helping Children Understand Your Kidney Disease

  March 9, 2023
  Dealing With Symptoms
  Inner Well-Being and Mindfulness
  Self-Advocacy
  Research
  Come Cook With Us

  The Kidney Foundation would like to thank our 2023 Patient Forum sponsors for making this event possible.

           
• Virtual Patient Forum 2022

  Living Your Best Life with Kidney Disease: Coping, Resilience and Well-Being

  This free virtual educational forum was held over two days, on January 25 and 26th, 2022. The program was developed in partnership with people living with kidney disease and brought together patients, care partners, healthcare professionals and researchers all over Canada who shared information to help you live your best life with kidney disease.  
  
  In many cases, the signs of kidney disease aren’t noticed until the kidneys are close to failure.  If you or a loved one is impacted by kidney disease, this free forum is a great way to learn more about Living Your Best Life with Kidney Disease: Coping, Resilience and Well-Being.
  
  All sessions are listed below.
  
  January 25th, 2022
  Taking Care of Your Mental Wellness
  Living Well on Dialysis
  Living Well with a Kidney Transplant
  
  January 26th, 2022
  Financial Support for Kidney Patients
  Tips & Tools for a Kidney Diet
  Wellness Through Movement
  
  
  
  
  Resource documents for Forum Sessions

  • This document, Mental Wellness Resources, includes links to online resources to support mental wellness and accompanies the Taking Care of Your Mental Wellness session.
  • This document, Financial Supports and Resources, includes links to online resources for the topics discussed in the Financial Support for Kidney Patients session.

  
  The Kidney Foundation would like to thank our 2022 Patient Forum sponsors for making this event possible.
  
             
• Virtual Patient Forum 2021

  Living your best life with kidney disease

  This free virtual educational forum was held over three days, starting Tuesday, March 9 and concluding on World Kidney Day, Thursday March 11 2021. The program was developed in partnership with people living with kidney disease and brought together patients, care partners, healthcare professionals and researchers all over Canada who shared information to help you live your best life with kidney disease.  
  
  In many cases, the signs of kidney disease aren't noticed until the kidneys are close to failure. Every March, The Kidney Foundation promotes Kidney Health Month to help raise awareness about the warning signs and risk factors associated with kidney disease. If you or a loved one is impacted by kidney disease, this free forum is a great way to learn more about Living Your Best Life with Kidney Disease.

  All sessions are available in the playlist below or can be viewed individually by clicking on the session title.

   

  MARCH 9, 2021

  Living Well with Kidney Disease
  
  Self-Advocacy – Knowing When to Ask for Help
  
  Complementary and Alternate Medication for Kidney Patients
  
  Managing Fatigue with Kidney Disease

  MARCH 10, 2021

  Sex and the Kidney: Navigating Your Sexual Health with Kidney Disease 
  
  When to start dialysis?
  
  Movement, Wellness and Kidney Disease
  
  Active Break: Exercise for Kidney Patients
  
  Peer Support and Virtual Supports for People with Kidney Disease
  
  Patient Empowerment
  
  Cooking with Chef Kris Gaudet

  
  MARCH 11, 2021

  Fertility and Family Planning with Kidney Disease
  
  Finding Humour in Difficult Topics and Finding your Funny Side: Laughter Wellness
  
  Cannabis and the Kidney: What You Need To Know
  
  
   

  The Kidney Foundation would like to thank our 2021 Patient Forum sponsors for making this event possible.