It is with great sadness that we say goodbye to Roger Hillier. Roger was a Can-SOLVE CKD patient partner whose commitment to improving the health of those living with kidney disease inspired us all. As a member of six project teams, Roger devoted countless hours to advancing research into polycystic kidney disease, living donor transplantation, dialysis symptoms, and innovative treatments. His intelligence and insight were highly valued by his fellow patient partners and team members.

Even in the face of health challenges, Roger remained highly motivated to do whatever he could to improve the transplant experience for other patients and to help identify better treatment options. Roger’s selfless determination to help others will continue to remind us of the importance of the work we do across Can-SOLVE CKD and beyond.

We are collecting messages below to pass onto Roger’s family, including his brother David who is also a patient partner within the Can-SOLVE CKD family.

Please feel free to share memories and condolences.

David and entire family. I was truly saddened on hearing of the loss of Roger. He was a true light within our group and glad we got to meet a few times. His help and impact within the kidney community will not be forgotten.

Kate Chong

To David and Family, I am very saddened to hear of your loss. May Roger’s name be remembered with honor, dignity and fortitude. We, PKD patients, understand the strength and determination of those who strive beyond this disease to help others. His name is blessed.

Sandi Kidston

Sincere condolences to the Hillier family on your loss. May you find strength in your memories and good times spent together.

Sharon Hope

Roger was incredibly positive and gracious with his time despite the challenges he faced. Kidney disease is not fair. Thoughts go out to David and the entire Hillier family.

Braden Manns

May all the family find rest and comfort in the love and hope we have in God and others that surround all of you.

Lucy Delgado

I’m so sorry to hear of Roger’s death. I know his efforts in CAN-Solve will have lasting impact. I liked his strong voice and desire to contribute to the work of improving lives for people who face kidney disease. He will be missed but not forgotten.

Marian Reich

Huge condolences to Roger’s family and friends. We had just started to work with him but his willingness and dedication to share his time and experiences with us in order to help others with kidney disease was clear. He will be missed immensely.

Mike Walsh

It was a real privilege to meet and work with Roger in a project to help people better access kidney transplantation. Through his comments and advice we fully appreciated how gentle, articulate and insightful he was. Our thoughts are with him and his family at this time.

Respectfully, Dr. Amit Garg, London Health Sciences Centre

To Roger’s family: Roger will be greatly missed by our Can-SOLVE family. His commitment to making a difference in the lives of those living with CKD was impressive – 6 committees, wow! Thank you to Roger’s family for sharing him with us. May he rest in peace. My condolences to all.

Respectfully, Cathy

I loved meeting Roger and getting to know him, in particular in person at the annual meeting in Montreal last year. We connected over our love for ballroom dancing. It was also so neat to see another Hillier in action. We had fun at our 3.3B team dinner, and we convinced him to be a patient co-lead that night! He wanted every kidney patient in the country to know about Can-SOLVE, and I have no doubt everyone that he personally came across heard about it. I hope his fiery spirit is freely dancing away now. Sending much love and light to David and the rest of his family.

Leah Getchell

The passing of Roger has left another great hole in the hearts of all who worked along his side to improve the management of kidney disease and the life-saving research he was such a big part of. My time personally was short with Roger, but I will never forget his technical eye and passion to improve care for all those fighting this disease. Deepest condolences for his family and all those patent partners and staff who had the great pleasure of his company.

Ken and Carol

My sincere condolences to Roger’s family. His dedication and partnership with Can-SOLVE CKD was invaluable. His dedication to advance research into polycystic kidney disease will continue to inspire researchers across Canada to continue our work to improve the quality of life for patients living with kidney disease.

Joanne Wilkinson, Population Health Research Institute

I send deepest condolences to you in the passing of Roger. Our thoughts and prayers are with you at this time. I sat in a number of conference calls with Roger over the past few years with Can-SOLVE CKD with the goal to improve the lives of people with kidney disease. As a patient partner with PKD, this disease is an insidious illness, but I know where Roger’s heart was in this struggle. I know he would have put up a good fight. My deepest sympathy to the family.

Robert Buzinski, Can-SOLVE CKD Patient Partner, Medicine Hat, Alberta

Dear Hillier family, I worked with Roger on one of the Can-SOLVE CKD projects related to dialysis symptoms and even though we only spoke on the phone a handful of times, he was a valued member of our team. I valued his insight as a patient partner and respected his commitment to all of the projects he was involved with given his journey as a patient with kidney disease. When we last corresponded by email a couple months ago he wrote that he was disappointed he could no longer participate to his the extent he desired because of his illness but that when he felt better, he would come back to help out with our clinical trial. He was clearly a role model for patient advocacy and he will be missed. My condolences for you loss.

Dr. David Collister