Kidney Disease affects thousands of people in Newfoundland and Labrador and the Kidney Foundation is urging people to be mindful of their kidney health.

Kidney function can be affected by a variety of causes including high blood pressure and diabetes, the rates of which in this province are among the highest in the country.

Vince Andrews was diagnosed with polycystic kidney disease, a rare genetic condition, when he was just 22-years-old. He was told at the time that he would be in need of dialysis by the time he reached 50 and Andrews says, the doctors were spot-on.

He was in university at the time and he took it as good news that it wouldn’t affect him for another 25 years or so. The bad news is that within 6 months of turning 50 he was told he’d require dialysis.

Andrews, who is President of the Board of Directors for the Kidney Foundation’s Atlantic Branch is one of a small number of people who are candidates for home dialysis. With the help of his partner Amy, he has developed a comfortable routine, but not until after a significant period of adjustment and trepidation.

This is World Kidney Day, while March is Kidney Health Month.