DRINK TEA FOR PKD
Polycystic Kidney Disease (PKD) Awareness Month is observed every September to educate, share stories and raise funds for research into treatments and a cure for this genetic condition.
This is a particularly personal charity for Yoga Borne, as Co-Owner, Jay has PKD.
Through September we will be asking you to make a cash donation for each cuppa you drink.
100% of which will go to PKD Charity.
CASH ONLY - so bring your pennies with you!
A cuppa will be reasonably priced @ 50p.
What is Polycystic Kidney Disease (PKD)?
PKD is a genetic disorder that affects people of all ages, races and ethnicities and occurs equally in males and females. PKD primarily affects the kidneys, causing the growth of numerous fluid-filled cysts.
These cysts can significantly enlarge the kidneys and impair their function over time, leading to serious health complications such as chronic kidney disease (CKD) and end-stage renal disease (ESRD).
PKD is usually inherited from an affected parent in ADPKD, or from carrier parents in ARPKD. It can also result from a spontaneous genetic mutation.
(https://pkdcharity.org.uk/polycystic-kidney-disease)
How is PKD Treated?
While there is currently no cure for PKD, treatments focus on managing symptoms and slowing the progression of the disease. Medications are often used to help manage pain, treat associated infections and lower blood pressure, and are effective for most people experiencing the disease. However, some people may need surgical procedures to drain and treat larger cysts on the kidneys to prevent further damage.
If your kidneys fail, treatment will be needed to restore some function, known as “kidney replacement therapy”. The most common form of this is a kidney transplant, received by a donor. Since you only need one kidney to live, kidney transplants are more accessible than other organ transplants, and living donors can give a kidney. However, most kidney donations still come from deceased donors.
Where a transplant is not possible either due to ineligibility or a shortage of organs, patients are instead put on dialysis, where a machine replicates some of the kidney’s functions. There are two types of dialysis; Hemodialysis and Peritoneal dialysis.
Further research into PKD has led to the approval of a treatment for adults which slows the rate at which your kidneys are enlarged by cysts, as well as slowing the speed at which your kidney function declines. This treatment, known as Tolvaptan, is taken orally (in tablet form) but is generally only available for adults who have PKD and chronic kidney disease stage 2 or 3, and show evidence that the disease is progressing quickly.
(https://pkdcharity.org.uk/polycystic-kidney-disease)
Finding Support If You’re Living With PKD
Our charity has many different ways in which you can get the support you need if you’re dealing with ADPKD or ARPKD.
These include: