Peer Engagement Groups
Connect With Others Who Share Similar Lived Experiences
Peer Engagement Groups are a great way to connect with others who live with kidney disease. These groups will connect you virtually with other individuals who have experienced the impact of kidney disease and will be facilitated by trained peers who live with kidney disease or are caregivers. These groups accommodate kidney patients at different stages of their kidney journey.
Whether you're seeking information about peer engagement or ready to participate in a virtual peer engagement group, we offer you both options below.
Click Image to download the Poster of Kidney Connect - Peer Groups
Explore a Virtual Peer Engagement Group now!
Wherever you are on your kidney journey — newly diagnosed with kidney disease, living with reduced kidney function, on dialysis, a transplant recipient — a care partner to a kidney patient or a living organ donor you’ll find an established group that is right for you. See the calendar of available online groups here. Note the times are shown in Pacific Standard.
Please pre-register for these meetings by emailing peersupport@kidney.ca or calling 1-866-390-7337. Once you’ve registered, guidelines and call details will be provided to access the meeting.
Kidney Connect - Peer Mentoring
Have a Conversation One-to-One with Someone Who Gets It.
Sometimes kidney patients and caregivers too just need an opportunity to talk to others who have been there too. That’s what the Kidney Foundation’s One-to-One Peer Mentoring/Support program is all about. This National Program lets you speak with someone who truly understands what it’s like to live with kidney disease or has been affected by it, and is willing to share their own experiences with you.
This program matches trained volunteer peer mentors with patients requesting one-to-one phone consultations. We know from patients who have accessed these services, that talking to others with shared lived experiences has helped them and the encouragement they received has been an important part of learning to live with kidney disease.
How to Access the One-to-One Peer Mentoring?
To request Peer (Support) Mentoring, you call toll-free at 1 866 390-PEER (7337) and speak with a program coordinator, or email us at bcyprograms@kidney.ca Based on the information you provide, they will match you with a volunteer. For online requests please visit Peer (Support) Mentoring at kidney.ca.
Depending on your needs, you may also speak with different volunteers at different times. For example, if you’re considering switching dialysis treatments, you’ll be matched with someone who has used the same treatment. Or if you’re concerned about balancing work and treatments, you’ll speak to someone who has successfully managed their disease and their career. Or as a caregiver of kidney patients, you just want to speak to another caregiver to hear their experiences.
Learn more about the Kidney Connect Peer Support Program. Download the Kidney Foundation’s Kidney Connect Peer Support Progam brochure.
Social Activities
Armchair Travel
This fall, join father, husband, triathlete and kidney transplant recipient, Detective Roy McBeth, as he shares how an active lifestyle kept him healthy until he needed a transplant in 2015. Roy was diagnosed as a boy with polycystic kidney disease. In 2015 he received a kidney from his boss, Inspector Kevin Wright, and now post-transplant continues his love of triathlons which take him all over Canada and the USA. Hear more about his story and his travels.
Registration details coming soon.
Help Us Get Social
Do you have a hobby or passion you would like to share with your Kidney Wellness friends? Are you an artist? Could you teach a painting class? Are you a budding gardener and would like to share some gardening tips? Are you an avid traveller and want to share some stories/photos of a favourite destination? Or maybe you would be interested in hosting a games night? A book club? Or a morning coffee catch-up? All ideas are welcome, and the sky is the limit here. Help us create some interesting and fun online social activities and build the community at the Kidney Wellness Hub.
Send us your ideas at kidneywellnesshub@kidney.ca and we will help make it happen with you. Let’s do this!
Connect on Facebook
Our Facebook groups provide a unique platform that caters to both active engagement and passive observation. It allows the participants to be as involved as they wish or observe. It’s your choice. With a vibrant network that's always online, it's an excellent way to stay connected with the kidney community, share your experiences, and learn about kidney disease. Anyone with a kidney connection to kidney disease whether, patient, care partner, family member, friend, medical staff etc. is welcome to these groups
Kidney Friends Circle Facebook Group
If you want to talk about anything kidney-related with the community please join our private volunteer-driven group. It’s is a great place to interact, ask questions of others, learn about events that you might be interested in joining and more.
Kidney Wellness Hub Facebook Group
Ask the group for kidney-related tips on wellness, or sharing your tips on anything wellness related including non-kidney-related hobbies, your favourite pets photos or music that help with your overall wellness are all welcome.
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Disclaimer: The Kidney Wellness Hub and Kidney Friends Circle Facebook groups provide a platform for the kidney community to share lived experiences. As kidney family members, we can not provide medical advice. The opinions expressed in these groups are not necessarily those of the administrators, other members of the group, or The BC & Yukon Branch, of the Kidney Foundation.
Kidney Connect Online
Not on Facebook? No problem the Kidney Foundation has you covered. Our private discussion forum KidneyConnect.ca allows you to connect online with other people living with or affected by kidney disease.
The uniqueness of being able to connect online with so many people who have a shared experience can be one of the best ways to reduce stress, gather information and validate one’s feelings.
Get Involved
Would you like to share your time and experience to help people with kidney disease? Join us as a volunteer.
Giving Back
Kidney Wellness Hub and Other Volunteer Opportunities
Kidney Peer Mentors Needed
We are looking for a diverse group of kidney patients, caregivers and supporters who would like to volunteer to help others in their kidney community as Kidney Peer Mentors. As a Kidney Peer Mentor, you will receive peer engagement training virtually (approx. 3 hours) for our One-to-One Peer Mentoring program. This program offers one-to-one phone-based support. If interested, mentors can also be trained as facilitators for our Kidney Peer Engagement Groups.
For details on this volunteer opportunity and upcoming training session(s), please contact kidneywellnesshub@kidney.ca or 604-558-6877.
Kidney Wellness Hub Advisory Members Needed
We want to continue building new content and initiatives for the Kidney Wellness Hub that reflect the diversity of our kidney community. We will create several Patient/Caregiver Advisory Committees to support these efforts.
If you are interested in joining an Advisory Committee and/or want more information, please email us at kidneywellnesshub@kidney.ca.
Contribute to Better Kidney Health for All Canadians
Whether you are a kidney patient or caregiver, your voice is important. By joining Kidney Link, you will learn about kidney research in Canada and opportunities to get involved. You will be connected to researchers who want to work with you to help answer questions that will improve kidney health. You will help shape research to respond to patients’ needs and perspectives.
Social Activity Hosts Needed
Do you have a passion or hobby that you would like to share with your Kidney Wellness community? We are looking for members to host social activities/events. Maybe that is virtual painting class, leading a book club, and sharing your travel adventures?
If you have an idea or would like to learn more, email kidneywellnesshub@kidney.ca.
Volunteer Your Time & Talent with the Kidney Foundation and other organizations that provide kidney services.
Learn more about additional opportunities to volunteer with the Kidney Foundation here.
For opportunities to volunteer with other organizations that provide kidney services in our community click on the links provided here: BC Renal | BC Transplant | CanSOLVE CKD Network | Canadian Transplant Association | PKD Foundation | Patient Voices Network