Across the Can-SOLVE CKD Network, we strive to transform treatment and care for all Canadians living with or at risk for chronic kidney disease.
We have a shared responsibility and commitment to advancing equitable, patient-oriented research of the highest quality through our core values of inclusion, cultural competency, and collaboration.
Inclusion
We regard all forms of diversity as valuable, including, but not limited to: race, ethnicity, culture, age, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, ability, national origin, social economic class, religion, and professional status. We believe patient-oriented research must be an open invitation for diverse voices to ask and answer the questions that drive the pursuit of better health. Our voices belong to those who are touched by kidney disease every day, including family members, caregivers and friends who dedicate time to communicating hard-earned, real-world expertise. As a network, we aim to reflect Canada’s immense geographic and cultural diversity.
Cultural Competency
Through the wisdom and guidance of our network members, including patient partners, researchers, and the Indigenous Peoples’ Engagement and Research Council, we are continuing to build a culturally competent network in which diverse voices are respected, honoured, and heard. We recognize the existence of structural racism and its negative impacts on equal partnerships, and we are committed to counteracting this harmful form of oppression. Fostering cultural competency involves recognizing diverse values, traditions and perspectives as well as actively challenging our own biases. Using this approach, we aim to advance equitable research, developed in partnership with patients and communities, that supports the best possible kidney health for all.
Collaboration
It is essential that all members of our network feel comfortable to share their opinions and perspectives. We strongly value working relationships that are fostered in mutual respect and understanding, as well as a positive work environment. These principles are critical for achieving true inclusivity. Patient-oriented research asks participants from diverse backgrounds to put aside familiar methods and come together with open minds. We believe successful engagement depends on team members learning from and communicating meaningfully with each other to forge partnerships and mutual trust. Our partnerships are grounded in a shared commitment to understanding each other’s perspectives, experiences, and needs. Actively listening so that all voices are heard and understood is critical for designing better studies and addressing the issues most important to patients. This approach requires that we work within in a non-hierarchal power structure and acknowledge that we are all humans.
Core Values Action Plan
We believe in living out our core values through action by practicing the 6 R’s in our work. Originally developed by our Patient Governance Circle as a Group Charter as expectations of members, the 6 R’s follow the guiding principles of Wabishki Bizhiko Skaanj Learning Pathway by Looking, Listening, Learning and Leading.
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