Kidneys and Women's Health

The theme of World Kidney Day 2018 was Kidneys and Women’s Health: Include, Value, Empower.

World Kidney Day and International Women’s Day were commemorated on the same day in 2018, offering us the opportunity to reflect on the importance of women’s health and specifically their kidney health.

Living with Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) presents its own challenges and issues. Additionally, there are several unique issues that women face when dealing with CKD such as fertility, sexuality and pregnancy and the impact on their kidney health.

 

Presenters

Dr. Michelle Hladunewich

Dr. Hladunewich joined the University of Toronto as an Assistant Professor of Medicine in 2003 and was promoted to Associate Professor in 2013. She is the Clinical Trials Director at the Toronto Glomerulonephritis Clinic and Registry, the Co-Chair of the recruitment committee for two large glomerulonephritis consortiums, the Neptune Study and Cure GN. She is the medical lead for the Kidney Disease and Pregnancy Clinic (PreKid Clinic), and the Director of both the Divisions of Nephrology and Obstetric Medicine at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre. Her research program includes studies in glomerular-based disease as well as pregnancy related kidney disease. Dr. Hladunewich is currently the Ontario Renal Network Medical Lead for Glomerulonephritis and Specialty Clinics.

Matti Youd

Matti Youd is a professor at Georgian College who teaches (sometimes unwilling) students to improve their communication skills. In her spare time, she likes dabbling in creative projects like leatherworking and textile arts, doing yoga, and playing outside. Matti was diagnosed with FSGS in her early 20s, received a kidney transplant in her late 20s, lost the transplant in her early 30s, and has since been on home hemodialysis for 3 years. Her latest creative project was something she has wanted to do for a very long time - grow a baby from scratch. She had a beautiful baby boy last June. He is the best thing she has ever made.