12th March: World Kidney Day

World Kidney Day on the second Thursday in March sets out each year to create increased awareness about kidney care. World Kidney Day (WKD) is a joint initiative of the International Society of Nephrology (ISN) and the International Federation of Kidney Foundations (IFKF).

World Kidney Day is a global campaign that aims to raise awareness of the importance of our kidneys to our overall health and to reduce the frequency and impact of kidney disease and its associated health problems worldwide.

Our kidneys are vital to our everyday health, and many health issues contribute to Chronic Kidney Disease. Preventative measures help to reduce our risks and improve outcomes.

Several health conditions impact our kidneys. These are just a few:

• Diabetes is one of the leading causes of kidney failure.
• High blood pressure weakens blood vessels, including the ones in the kidneys.
• High Cholesterol impacts how well the kidneys work and can also lead to high blood pressure and diabetes.
• Anorexia Nervosa causes chronic kidney disease due to the lack of a healthy balance of water, electrolytes, and salt in the body.
• Lupus causes your immune system to attack parts of your body. It sometimes impacts the kidneys, too.
• Polycystic Kidney Disease causes cysts to grow inside the kidneys.