Mindful Living: Navigating CKD with Awareness and Resilience

Join us for an engaging session on how mindfulness can support you in managing the challenges of chronic kidney disease (CKD). Whether you're a CKD patient or caregiver, this webinar will help you discover how mindfulness can:

• Improve your mental well-being
• Enhance your quality of life
• Help you handle the physical and emotional aspects of CKD

Emily Lewis, MSc in Mindfulness-Based Intervention, will share practical tips and lead a guided mindfulness exercise to help you bring more balance and empowerment into your daily routine. You’ll also hear from patient partners who will share their personal experiences of incorporating mindfulness into their CKD journeys.

Presenters

Irwin Schweitzer

Irwin lives in Ottawa and is a caregiver to his wife, Kathi, and has happily helped support her in her challenges with kidney disease for the last 5 years. Passionate about giving back, Irwin volunteers regularly with the Kidney Foundation, as a caregiver's peer group support facilitator. He is also a member of The Ottawa Hospital’s Renal PFAC and a member of the Advisory Board of the Ottawa chapter of the Kidney Foundation. Outside of volunteer work, Irwin enjoys acrylic painting, gardening, cooking and spending time with extended family. With a compassionate and insightful perspective, Irwin is committed to empowering others to navigate the complex world of kidney health.

Emily Lewis

Emily holds a Master of Science in Mindfulness-Based Interventions from University College Dublin and has a deep passion for mindfulness, and is dedicated to helping individuals and organizations build resilience and well-being through evidence-based practices. With a background in Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) and Mindfulness-Based Compassionate Living (MBCL), she specializes in supporting clients as they navigate stress, anxiety, and life’s challenges with greater ease.

Her approach combines mindfulness, compassion, and self-awareness to help individuals transform their relationship with stress and enhance their overall well-being.

In 2020, Emily returned to Newfoundland with the mission of sharing mindfulness across the province, offering one-on-one sessions and group trainings both virtually and in-person. In 2023, she co-founded Evolve Teaching Institute, where the focus is on corporate wellness and creating mindful, trauma-informed workplaces.

Sarah Sipione

In January 2024, Sarah was diagnosed with Anti-GBM (Goodpasture's) Disease, a rare condition affecting one in a million people. This aggressive disease rapidly targets the kidneys, prompting her to undergo urgent, intensive treatment to avoid kidney failure. Fortunately, the early detection allowed for successful treatment. However, Sarah now lives with Glomerulonephritis and reduced kidney function, stemming from the damage caused to her kidneys.

Sarah is a mom to a very busy three-year-old daughter and is fortunate to have a strong support network, including her husband, family, and close friends. Recently, they came together for their first Kidney Walk and she was very proud of their collective effort to help raise funds for the Kidney Foundation.

 

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