MONTREAL, Aug. 23, 2012 /CNW Telbec/ - As election day approaches in Quebec, the Kidney Foundation of Canada - Quebec Branch is asking all main party leaders to state their position regarding their commitment to the key issues that affect the field of kidney health.
The need to minimize the social and economic impacts of kidney disease in Quebec is urgent. The number of people suffering from kidney disease is on the rise, due mainly to the aging population and the increase in diabetes and high blood pressure, which are precursors to kidney disease.
"What we would like to see is increased accessibility to kidney transplants. For many kidney patients, transplants are the treatment of choice. We need to make organ donation easier, not only donation following death, but also from living donors," said Dr. Michel R. Pâquet, Chairman of the Kidney Foundation of Canada's Provincial Organ and Tissue Donation Committee.
The Foundation has already notified the leaders of the five main political parties of the Foundation's objectives. Organ donation affects many patients, a fact repeatedly brought home by countless public awareness campaigns. On August 24, Université Laval medical student Quinn Thomas rode through Montreal on his cross-Canada cycling tour to promote organ donation. His quest is an apt reminder that the demands we are making of the future government stem from the glaring needs of people affected by kidney disease.
"The need for donors has never been so great, as 78% of people on organ transplant waiting lists require a kidney. In some cases, the wait can be as long as over three years. For most people with end-stage renal disease, a kidney transplant is the best option," noted Dr. Pâquet.
As the incidence of kidney disease grows, The Kidney Foundation of Canada hopes organ donation will be on the future government's agenda.
About The Kidney Foundation of Canada
Founded in 1964, The Kidney Foundation of Canada is a national volunteer-run organization devoted to lessening the burden kidney disease places on those who suffer from it, their families and society as a whole. Since it was established, The Kidney Foundation has been funding kidney research, delivering educational and support programs, facilitating access to quality healthcare, and raising public awareness about the importance of keeping our kidneys in good health, not to mention consenting to organ donation. www.kidney.ca/quebec
SOURCE: KIDNEY FOUNDATION OF CANADA
Louise Deguire, Communications Director
Tel.: 514-570-8374 (mobile) / 514-938-4515, ext. 225 / [email protected]
Share this article