Body Image and Self-Esteem

The Body Image and Self-Esteem webinar was held on June 28. The discussions in this webinar was to empower you to think about body image in a new light. Topics include:

• Stretch marks, hair and weight changes from medications and treatments
• Dialysis accesses
• Dating with CKD, and more.

 

Presenters

Charlene Shao

Charlene was born with chronic kidney disease and other complex medical conditions. She has gone through many surgeries including a kidney transplant last year. Despite the tremendous challenges, Charlene keeps a positive attitude, and continually works out to bring the best of her future.
 

Louise Theoret

Louise was diagnosed in June 2020 with CKD. To say that she was stunned with the diagnosis is an understatement. Louise has faced challenges with her weight throughout her kidney journey. Her nephrologist decided not to start dialysis but sent her home with a few sheets of paper for a new diet. At that point of her journey, she had already lost 35 pounds which empowered her to review her eating habits and she tried to eat healthier. Louise continued to lose weight but hit a plateau at an 80-pound weight loss. She jokes that she currently weighs less than she did when she got divorced in 1991. Louise continues to exercise more, making wiser decisions when eating out but also saying it’s okay to enjoy a hamburger and fries or even a piece of chocolate in moderation of course. She is giving herself permission to enjoy life!
 

Mason Walden

Mason is a 31-year-old high school Math teacher. He has faced adversity throughout the majority of his adult life starting at 18 with vision loss and then being diagnosed with end stage kidney failure in March 2020 with COVID related closures and isolation. He is often praised for his resilience and positivity.
 

Salvatore Rocchese

Salvatore started his kidney journey when he was 14yrs old with hemodialysis. He received his first kidney transplant in 1984 and it thrived for 36 years. Currently, Salvatore is currently a home dialysis patient for 3 years and is waiting for his second kidney transplant any day now.
 

Wendy Narh

Wendy is 38 years old and lives with kidney disease and Lupus. She was diagnosed in 2009 when she was 26 years old. As a young adult learning that she had kidney disease was somewhat hard for her at first, as it would be for anyone. Not knowing much about KD Wendy’s first thought was, " Am I going to die". She did her research and ultimately felt better about what she found; many individuals live for years with KD. 3 weeks later she was told that due to her KD she subsequently had Lupus. Wendy then realized this was the beginning of her lifelong journey...


The Kidney Foundation, would like to thank our sponsors for making the 2022 Kidney Foundation Webinar Series possible.