Community Help Fund
Learn more about how the Kidney Foundation, BC & Yukon is supporting kidney and transplant patients during the COVID crisis. To help kickstart fundraising efforts, a $500 donation from the Envision Financial, a division of First West Credit Union and First West Foundation Community Help Fund is on its way.
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Kidney Foundation, BC & Yukon Branch's KIDNEY COVID19 Response:
Kidney & transplant patients have compromised immune systems and are at high-risk for developing a serious form of COVID-19. They are asked to stay at home, many transplants have been postponed. Thus, many must start or continue dialysis indefinitely – requiring timely, accurate information and emotional support. The mental health impact of this mandated isolation is far reaching. Kidney patients in low-income households face further barriers in staying safe.
We are addressing their needs with the following activities, please consider your support of our work:
1. Short-Term-Financial Assistance (STFA) Program:
Providing financial assistance grants to kidney patients in low-income households. We anticipate further eligible requests to come from those experiencing layoffs, loss of income. Program includes medical equipment for home care, dental assistance, transportation support with gas cards for dialysis appointments, grocery store cards so patients may maintain a healthy, restricted diet.
2. Mental Health and Well Being, Social Inclusion, mobilizing the power of community volunteers
Kidney Check In: Mobilizing (multilingual) community volunteers, also impacted by kidney disease, to connect with kidney patients and their caregivers through friendly phone calls to check on how they are coping, providing a listening ear. They refer questions to staff for follow up as needed and record anonymized patient data/concerns to help improve our ability to serve this population. Staff run ongoing trainings / provide materials created for this new initiative.
3. Health information & navigation, disseminating information and knowledge
A) Health Hub and Information Resource Center: Our Patient Services team is on the frontline via phone / email to provide patients and caregivers with up-to-date information on living well with kidney disease through this time.
Kidney COVID 19 Response Video Launch: We created and launched a new series of videos titled, We’ve Got You Covered for COVID to bring vital information to the kidney community online: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL1xafqJq...By keeping kidney patients mentally and physically well through this time, we can prevent further health complications down the road. Togehter, we can ensure all kidney patients are safe - resilient and ready to come through this together. Thank you for your consideration of support!
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http://www.kidneyresponsefundbcy.ca