Newly Diagnosed?

Being diagnosed with kidney disease can be overwhelming. Often this leaves you with many questions: What does this diagnosis mean for me? How will kidney disease change my life? What can I do to help manage this disease?    

For a newly diagnosed kidney patient, maintaining a healthy lifestyle is critical to your ability to delay or avoid kidney failure requiring dialysis or transplantation. Caring for yourself and taking time to focus on your kidney wellbeing is important to supporting and improving your overall quality of life.

The Kidney Wellness Hub has been designed with a specific goal to support you, as a newly diagnosed kidney patient. We want to provide you with a repository of kidney-customized information and videos to help support your physical, mental and social wellbeing, which includes the opportunity to connect with others with shared lived experiences online in the kidney community.  

In addition to the Kidney Wellness Hub, the Kidney Foundation has a wealth of information and educational resources that may also be beneficial. This includes the Living with Reduced Kidney Function manual. If you would like to reach out to our Programs and Services staff directly, contact our Information Hot Line at 604 558 6879 or via email. Although we do not provide medical advice, we can answer questions you may have about your diagnosis. For more information, check out the Resources section on this site or go to kidney.ca.   

We invite you to explore the Kidney Wellness Hub. However, before you begin any new activity or wellness program, please remember to check in with your health care provider to see what is right for you. Have fun as you plan your wellness journey.

The Importance of Maintaining Your Kidney Health

Be sure to check out our video with Dr. Bevilacqua, nephrologist at Surrey Memorial Hospital, and learn about the importance of your wellness in maintaining your kidney health.

Where Would You Like to Start?

The Kidney Wellness Hub has lots of interesting and fun ways to help you maintain your kidney health and improve your overall quality of life.

Staying Active may be a bit overwhelming but you are not alone. This section offers a variety of kidney-customized videos on yoga, meditation, strength training, cardio, dance and more. There are even chair classes for anyone with limited mobility. These videos are designed to meet you where you are on your kidney journey.

Eating Well and making good food choices, let alone kidney-friendly food choices, is not always easy. Sometimes we need a little help or inspiration in the kitchen. There is a fabulous online cookbook with kidney-friendly recipes, a menu planner, a dietitian blog and even live, online cooking classes you can join with your friends and family.

Mental Wellbeing can help you deal with the challenges you face as a kidney patient. You’ll find resources like mindful meditation, sleeping well, and music therapy. You can even apply for FREE Kidney Wellness Coaching to help support you as you look forward in your life to set health and wellness goals that are intentional, achievable, and focused on what you truly want for yourself.

Socially Connecting may help reduce stress and lower your levels of anxiety or depression. We have many opportunities for kidney patients and their care partners to share lived experiences. You can talk one-to-one, join a group session, or connect directly through our private Facebook group to share kidney wellness tips or advice.

Resources We know there are many great sources of information besides what we have on the Kidney Wellness Hub, so be sure to check out all of the available resources on this page. Don’t forget to check our home page rotating banner often and review our Events page, which includes all community wellness-related events.

Be sure to Join Up and become part of the Kidney Wellness Hub community!

Submit a Suggestion for Additional Content

We welcome your input and feedback. Do you have an idea for a video or webinar or a kidney wellness-related question to ask an expert? Email your suggestion for additional content.

Additional Resources

For additional Kidney Foundation and other trusted resources, see our Resources tab.