"Kidney sufferers urge vigilance" Kidney Walk Article Makes the Local Paper!!

[Angie]

Kidney sufferers urge vigilance

By Sonja Puzic, The Windsor StarJuly 20, 2010

Angie Essery doesn't remember much of her early childhood.
There were doctors, needle pokes and hospital visits. She was often tired and sick. Beyond that, "it was like walking in a fog all the time," she says.
Her mother had suspected for years that something was wrong, but the right diagnosis didn't come until Essery was nine years old. She had suffered kidney failure as a result of reflux, or backflow of urine into the kidneys.
Years of dialysis and two kidney transplants have helped Essery cope with the disease, but it hasn't been an easy journey. Special medications that helped her function also severely compromised her immune system. She couldn't eat many foods and had to watch what she drank. She had no energy and was unable to work.
Today, at 36, Essery is feeling much better and working with people who have acquired brain injuries.
"I enjoy it because they understand me. They don't judge me and I don't judge them," she said. "The job gives me a sense of accomplishment."
For years, Essery says, she felt marginalized and misunderstood.
Many people, even some of her friends, couldn't grasp the severity of her condition.
"I had people telling me that if I just drank more water, I'd feel better," she said. "Or that I should go off dialysis and take herbal supplements."
Essery is now doing her part to raise awareness about kidney disease and organ donation. She created an online community where patients can share their thoughts and feelings and she's actively involved with the Windsor chapter of The Kidney Foundation of Canada.
"Kidneys are just as important as the heart, just as important as the lungs and other major organs," she said. "I want people to know that they need to take care of their kidneys and their bodies."
The local chapter of the Kidney Foundation has launched an awareness campaign leading up to the fundraising Give the Gift of Life Walk in September. The foundation hopes the stories of people like Essery will educate people about kidney disease and motivate them to help make a difference.
"It's one thing to talk about kidney disease and another thing to put a face to it," said Erika Muscat, the local chapter's publicity and events co-ordinator.
There are 235 people on dialysis in Windsor-Essex and 144 who've had kidney transplants, Muscat said.
There are more than 360 people with chronic kidney disease who are considered "pre-dialysis" and hundreds more who have kidney problems and may be unaware they're headed toward full-blown disease or organ failure.
That's why it's so important for people to be vigilant about their health and watch for warning signs, Muscat said. Diabetes and high blood pressure, which affect a significant number of people in the community, are among the most common causes of kidney disease, which typically starts slowly and progresses over a number of years.
When the kidneys fail, they can no longer process waste and fluids in the body, creating a dangerous situation for the patient.
Symptoms that may indicate kidney disease include high blood pressure, changes in urine (cloudiness, foaming, presence of blood), frequent urination or difficulty urinating, fatigue and loss of appetite or weight.
Essery would like to see more advertising of kidney disease risk factors and symptoms and expanded screening across Canada.
She also wants people to know that even the smallest donation to the Kidney Foundation helps.
"Even a dollar makes a difference."
GIVE THE GIFT OF LIFE WALK
The local Give the Gift of Life Walk will take place on Sept. 19 at Colasanti's Tropical Gardens in Ruthven. For more information or to register, visit ww.kidney.ca/ontariowalk.

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