Our webinar series features joint presentations by researchers and patient partners highlighting individual research projects and other Can-SOLVE CKD activities. The webinars are interactive, starting with a short presentation that is followed by discussion and Q&A from network members.

Full recordings of completed webinars are available below and on our YouTube channel.

CKD Clinic Network webinar – “Integrating My Kidneys My Health: a website co-created with patient for patients in clinical practice”

February 24, 2022

Presenters:
Dr. Mo Donald

On February 24, the Canadian CKD Clinic Network held a webinar on “Integrating My Kidneys My Health: a website co-created with patient for patients in clinical practice.”

Learning Objectives:

1.       Participants will be able to explain what the My Kidneys My Health website is, who it is for, and how it can support self-management

2.       Participants will be able to share their ideas for integrating the website into their practice

3.       Participants will gain practical tips on how to start using this self-management tool in clinical practice and with patients

CKD Clinic Network webinar “Managing Fatigue in Kidney Disease” by Dr. Janine Farragher

October 14, 2021

Presenters:
Dr. Janine Farragher

On October 14, the Canadian CKD Clinic Network held a webinar “Managing Fatigue in Kidney Disease” by Dr. Janine Farragher.

Learning Objectives:

1. To recognize the impact of fatigue on patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD)

2. To understand causal factors impacting fatigue in CKD

3. To become familiar with a range of treatment options for managing fatigue in CKD

Patient Engagement in Knowledge Translation: Reflections and Opportunities

January 27, 2021

Presenters:
Mary Beaucage
Manuel Escoto
Dr. Davina Banner
Selina Allu

On January 27, the Can-SOLVE CKD Network hosted a special webinar focused on patient engagement in knowledge translation. The session featured two patient partners, Mary Beaucage and Manuel Escoto, who shared their reflections on the opportunities for patients to take part in knowledge translation.

Indigenous Research Ethics and Protocols: Skills for Indigenous Health Research in the Spirit of Reconciliation and Relationality

February 26, 2020

Presenter:
Dr. Malcolm King
Scientific Director, Saskatchewan Centre for Patient-Oriented Research

This presentation is Part 3 of the “Indigenous Research Ethics and Protocols” webinar series developed for the Wabishki Bizhiko Skaanj Learning Pathway. Dr. King builds on the learnings of the previous two sessions to provide guidance to patient partners, researchers, health care providers, and others working with Indigenous individuals and communities throughout the research cycle.

Indigenous Research Ethics and Protocols: Understanding the History of Colonization and its Impact on Indigenous Health

February 5, 2020

Presenter:
Dr. Malcolm King
Scientific Director, Saskatchewan Centre for Patient-Oriented Research

This presentation is Part 2 of the “Indigenous Research Ethics and Protocols” webinar series developed for the Wabishki Bizhiko Skaanj Learning Pathway. The webinar series aims to help researchers, team members, and patient partners acquire skills to respectfully engage Indigenous peoples and communities in health research in the spirit of reconciliation.

Indigenous Research Ethics and Protocols: Understanding Indigenous Worldviews and Indigenous Research Ethics Principles

November 28, 2019

Presenter:
Dr. Malcolm King
Scientific Director, Saskatchewan Centre for Patient-Oriented Research

This special presentation explores the ethical principles of engagement with Indigenous peoples in health research. This webinar will help researchers, team members, and patient partners acquire skills to respectfully engage Indigenous peoples and communities in health research in the spirit of reconciliation. Specific topics of discussion included:

  • What are Indigenous worldviews and how do they shape research ethics?
  • What is the impact of colonization on Indigenous health research?
  • What existing frameworks outline ethical conduct for research involving Indigenous peoples?

Perspectives on engaging patients through the research process

September 24, 2018

Presenters:

  • Kara Schick-Makaroff, Assistant Professor, Faculty of Nursing, University of Alberta
  • Dwight Sparkes, Patient Partner, Can-SOLVE CKD

The Kidney Foundation of Canada and the Can-SOLVE CKD Network hosted this special presentation to demystify the research process and to explain how researchers and patients are working together on research projects.

Optimal approaches to CKD case finding in Indigenous communities

September 27, 2017
Presenter: Dr. Paul Komenda
Research project: Kidney Check: Identifying kidney disease and diabetes in Indigenous communities

A public health intervention led by Dr. Paul Komenda will introduce point-of-care testing for diabetes and chronic kidney disease in rural and remote communities.

Using mobile lab equipment, screening teams will travel to Indigenous communities across five provinces and test for CKD and its risk factors, including diabetes and high blood pressure. This information will be used to determine an individual’s risk of CKD, and each person will receive a treatment plan that is tailored to their risk.

Impact of cell therapy to prevent the loss of kidney function

July 5, 2017
Presenter: Dr. Richard Gilbert
Research project: Cell therapy interventions to prevent loss of kidney function

Diabetes is the most common cause of end-stage kidney failure in Canada. The main cause of reduced kidney function in diabetes is the slow loss of small blood vessels (capillaries) combined with scar tissue (fibrosis). Studies by Dr. Richard Gilbert and colleagues have shown that cells from the bone marrow can be used to restore blood vessels and prevent excessive scar tissue formation in the kidney.

In this webinar, Dr. Gilbert discusses a pilot test that will use bone marrow-derived cells to prevent the loss of kidney function.

The historical context for Indigenous health in Canada

June 29, 2017
Presenters: Dr. Malcolm King and Dr. Jon McGavock

On June 29, the Can-SOLVE CKD Network and Diabetes Action Canada co-hosted a discussion on the history of Indigenous health in Canada and what it can teach us about engaging Indigenous individuals and communities.

Strategies to enhance patient self-management of chronic kidney disease

June 7, 2017
Presenters: Dr. Brenda Hemmelgarn, Ms. Gwen Herrington, Mr. Dwight Sparkes
Research project: Strategies to enhance patient self-management of CKD

Patients with chronic kidney disease need to balance their complex medical condition with the demands of daily life while maintaining emotional well-being.

Dr. Brenda Hemmelgarn and colleagues are working to understand how we can empower patients to self-manage their chronic kidney disease to improve disease progression and overall patient experience and well-being.

The perspectives of patients and caregivers will direct the development of a range of self-management support strategies that can be individualized to patients’ unique situations, needs, priorities and preferences.

Targeted deprescribing in patients on hemodialysis to reduce polypharmacy

May 10, 2017
Presenter: Dr. Marisa Battistella
Research project: Targeted de-prescribing in patients with chronic kidney disease to decrease polypharmacy

Patients on hemodialysis take an average of 12 medications per day. Many of these medications lack high-quality evidence to show their effectiveness and safety in people with chronic kidney disease.

A team led by Dr. Marisa Battistella is working to develop and validate “deprescribing” tools that will reduce the use of unnecessary medications in hemodialysis units across Canada.

Increasing the number of living donor kidney transplants

May 4, 2017
Presenters: Dr. Amit Garg, Mr. Ken Litchfield, Ms. Leah Getchell, Ms. Susan McKenzie
Research project: Increasing the use of living donor kidney transplantation

Transplantation offers kidney patients longer life and renewed quality of life, all at a fraction of the cost of dialysis. Unfortunately, there are too few deceased donors to meet the demand for transplantable kidneys.

This project will develop solutions to help overcome barriers to living kidney donor transplantation. It will also evaluate the impact of these solutions on patient experiences, outcomes and health care system costs.

Risk prediction to support shared decision-making for managing heart disease

April 19, 2017
Presenters: Ms. Winnie Pearson, Dr. Juli Finlay, Ms. Pantea Javaheri, Dr. Matthew James
Research project: APPROACH: Risk prediction to support shared decision-making for managing heart disease

Heart disease is very common in people with chronic kidney disease (CKD) and is a major cause of hospitalization, reduced quality of life, and shortened survival. When people with CKD develop heart problems they are much less likely to receive tests and procedures for their heart than people without CKD.

A team led by Dr. Matthew James is developing tools that can help doctors share personalized information on the benefits and risks of having a heart procedure to help patients better communicate their own values and preferences to their doctor. This “shared decision-making” approach, developed with patients and health care providers, aims to improve the experience and quality of care for CKD patients managing heart disease.

Integrating risk-based care for patients with CKD in the community

April 5, 2017
Presenters: Dr. Navdeep Tangri, Ms. Cathy Woods
Research project: Integrating risk-based care for patients with CKD in the community

A small but important minority of patients require timely specialist referral in order to delay the progression of kidney disease and make appropriate treatment decisions.

Dr. Navdeep Tangri and colleagues have developed a mathematical equation that can predict the risk of kidney failure requiring dialysis over a two- or five-year period in patients with chronic kidney disease.

In this webinar, Dr. Tangri highlights how the team is working to convert this equation into a useful, interactive clinical decision tool that can actually guide doctors and patients to appropriate and timely referrals.

Improving Indigenous patient knowledge about treatment options for failing kidneys

March 22, 2017
Presenters: Dr. Joanne Kappel, Dr. Jack Hicks
Research project: Improving Indigenous patient knowledge about treatment options

Chronic kidney disease patients and their families face many complex decisions, including which dialysis treatment to choose, whether to pursue a transplant, or whether to have non-dialysis supportive care.

Studies show that there are different ways to support patients in getting the information they need to help them make hard decisions. These have not been formally evaluated in those with CKD.

This webinar discusses how we can better understand the barriers faced by patients with kidney disease and create an educational program that adjusts to the needs of individual patients.

Defining CKD risk in youth with diabetes

February 8, 2017
Presenters: Dr. James Scholey, Dr. Farid Mahmud, Dr. Allison Dart, Ms. Jackie McKee
Research projects: iCARE and AdDIT

Diabetes is the most common cause of both chronic kidney disease and kidney failure in North America. Rates of both Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes are increasing in children, with important impacts on health in early adulthood; however, we are not yet able to predict who is at risk for CKD or for progression to kidney failure.

This webinar highlights two Can-SOLVE CKD projects, the AdDIT and iCARE studies, that are working to discover and confirm which youth with diabetes are at risk for CKD.

State of the Network

January 25, 2017
Presenters: Dr. Adeera Levin, Dr. Braden Manns, Ms. Kate Chong, Ms. Mary Beaucage

Dr. Adeera Levin, Dr. Braden Manns, and members of our Patient Council and the Indigenous Peoples’ Engagement & Research Council provide an overview of the what the network has accomplished, what is currently underway, and what have we planned for 2017.