Mindful Relaxation

Ten years ago, Brenda Brown was doing hemodialysis three days a week while waiting to receive a new kidney. Her daughter knew how difficult her kidney disease was not only for her but for her special-needs brother and the entire family. She was immediately tested to see if she could donate her kidney to help Brenda but unfortunately, they were not a match. Her daughter, only 23 years old at the time, was determined, and her tenacity brought the family strength while they waited on the Living Donor Paired Exchange (LDPE) registry. After a chain of organ donors and recipients was established, she flew to Calgary and donated her kidney to a stranger so Brenda could receive a kidney in Vancouver at St Paul’s Hospital.

Brenda suffers from IgA nephropathy, also known as Berger’s disease. Today Brenda is a mother of three, a grandmother of four and a proud kidney transplant “thriver”. She now lives a healthy, active lifestyle that includes yoga, paddleboarding, playing slo-pitch with her kids and walking/hiking with her dog.

Brenda volunteers as board President of the Canadian Transplant Association and has competed in tennis, ball throw, shotput, giant slalom and curling at the Canadian Transplant Games and Winter Games respectively. She has never thought of herself as an athlete capable of competition. But won gold in tennis in 2018 and shotput and bronze in curling in 2020. Brenda is participating in the Kidney March and will compete next year at the World Games in Perth.

Brenda works full-time as a tech Project Manager and part-time as a certified Yoga Instructor. Brenda was taught in the Anusara Yoga school of alignment, Hatha, Yin and Chair yoga practices with a focus on breath and energy and the belief that every person is seen equally, divine in mind, body and spirit. It is an all-inclusive school designed for everybody. Brenda is a fully insured and registered teacher with the Yoga Alliance.

Her journey to yoga has been one of growth and healing post-transplant and one that she always knew and planned to share with our kidney and transplant community and was her inspiration to become a teacher 3 years ago. Yoga was Brenda’s light on her path back to health and sport, post-transplant. Yoga led to her transformation physically, mentally and spiritually. She looks forward to sharing her story and her yoga with kidney and transplant patients alike that desire to learn more about their bodies and how yoga might assist them in the healing and strength process.

We are thrilled to have kidney warrior Brenda offer several yoga classes to our Kidney Wellness community.

Amy has been a student of yoga for over 10 years. She has practiced a variety of different styles of yoga and believes there is yoga for everybody, and that anyone can do yoga.

Amy completed her 200-hour yoga teacher training in 2020, and she is currently working towards her 500-hour certification with a designation as a Therapeutic Yoga Specialist through YogaMedicine® with Tiffany Cruikshank. She believes that yoga is more than just a movement practise; it's a way to connect to your body on a deeper level, using slow, mindful practices to nourish and heal the body. She is a big advocate for healthy eating and nutrition, and she loves cooking.

When she is not on her mat, you can find her at the farmer's market, in her garden, reading on her patio, or travelling the globe. Yoga retreats are her favourite way to travel!

Amy is also a big advocate of supporting kidney patients and caregivers and has a family member with kidney-related issues. We are so pleased Amy has joined our Kidney Wellness Hub of instructors and we will know you will love her warm and engaging style she brings to her classes.