Family Planning: Options, Lived Experiences & Self-Care Strategies

As a person living with kidney disease, thinking about starting a family can bring up so many questions. There are unique challenges to navigate, and you may be feeling alone, overwhelmed, and not sure where to begin.

Join us for the first of a two-part family planning webinar series where you can learn the importance of self-care strategies to support your emotional and physical well-being.  Hear from your peers, who bring diverse lived experiences, along with healthcare professionals addressing the family planning options that could be right for you. Don't miss this opportunity to come together and feel informed and empowered by a supportive kidney community!

Presenters

Cristina Howorun

Cristina Howorun is a national and international award-winning investigative journalist who works at CityNews Toronto. Most recently, she has been producing and hosting documentaries for CityTV. Suddenly diagnosed with end-stage kidney disease in March 2018, she quickly had to learn how to navigate the world of nephrology. She started home peritoneal dialysis in September of that year- and shared her experiences with her viewers. She received a living donor kidney transplant from her in June 2019 and has continued to share her experiences through the transplant process, and the struggles with body image, in hopes of raising awareness of kidney disease, motivating more people to register as organ donors and to encourage other patients to feel more comfortable in their skin.

Cristina has worked with The Kidney Foundation, over the last several years to help raise awareness of kidney disease and organ donation.

Dr. Amanda Cunningham

Dr. Amanda Cunningham attended medical school at UBC and Internal Medicine residency in Calgary before returning to Vancouver for the core Nephrology program. She then undertook a clinical fellowship in both Glomerular Diseases and Kidney Disease in Pregnancy at the University of Toronto prior to completing a Master of Health science program and transplant fellowship at UBC. She is a practicing Transplant Nephrologist at Vancouver General Hospital. Her interests include women's health, patient education, and improving care for patients with recurrent glomerular disease following kidney transplantation.

Manuel Escoto

Manuel Escoto is a 16-year kidney transplant recipient. He received a transplant from his mom in 2007 after nearly two years on dialysis. In February 2022, he and his wife welcomed their first child, and in Feb 2024, they welcomed their second. As a kidney transplant recipient, he’s developed a passion for kidney & organ donation health education and supporting other patients to become partners in their care.

Suzanna D'Aprile

After spending 4 and a half years on dialysis, Suzanna received a kidney in 2009 from a donor that she refers to as her "angel donor". This past January marked her 15-year transplant anniversary! Suzanna is very passionate about organ donation and a dedicated advocate for others waiting for the gift of life. After her transplant, Suzanna began volunteering for the Kidney Foundation as a way to give back. She is now the manager of  the Fund Development and Community Relations in Saskatoon, SK. Suzanna has been with the Kidney Foundation for 9 years and continues to contribute to the cause she deeply cares about.

The Kidney Foundation would like to thank our sponsors for making the 2024 Kidney Foundation Webinar Series possible.