Educating kidneys

Article courtesy of NKF Kidney Care, a community education programme by National Kidney Foundation of Malaysia.

Kidney disease took its toll on his father and elder sister before it finally hit Chuah Seong Ban. “At first, I started feeling uncomfortable so much so I couldn’t sleep at night. One day, both, my kidneys just stopped functioning altogether,” he recalls.


Chuah Seong Ban...'At first, I

started feeling uncomfortable so

much so I couldn't sleep at night.

One day, both, my kidneys just

stopped functioning altogether

Although a professional engineer, Chuah is glad that his company pays for his thrice-weekly dialysis. “The financial burden would be far too much for me to bear, otherwise,” he says. Chuah shudders to think of other less fortunate patients if National Kidney Foundation weren’t there to them.
Did you know that more than 500 million (or 10% of all adults) worldwide have some form of kidney disease? Or that millions die every year from heart attacks and strokes linked to chronic kidney disease?

Any disease that threatens the kidneys has to be viewed seriously. Chronic kidney disease is especially so as its prevalence is increasing. This is due mainly to the rising number of people with poorly managed diabetes and high blood pressure – the two most major contributing factors for kidney damage today.

Smoking, obesity, advancing age and family history of kidney disease also other important risk factors to watch.

Undetected or untreated, kidney diseases can lead to end-stage kidney failure. Referring to the complete and utter failure of the kidneys, it is a life-threatening condition and the patient would need a kidney transplant or dialysis to stay alive.

Dialysis, a process to filter the blood, has to be conducted three times a week for the rest of a patient’s life. The total cost is often too expensive for most ordinary people to shoulder.

Thankfully, kidney diseases are mostly preventable, especially if one observes a healthy lifestyle.

Taking life's challenges in their stride

by Alyaa Alhadjri

Health Ministry development director Datuk Dr Azmi Shapie (standing, fourth from left) with the winners of the World Kidney Day Run.

KUALA LUMPUR (March 20, 2011): Life must go on despite any adversities that may be thrown our way. That was the message from Patients Support Group president Chuah Seong Ban to all who are battling with kidney disease, in conjunction with World Kidney Day celebration on March 10.

Formed under the National Kidney Foundation, the group, which currently has 700 members in Klang Valley, is an active advocate and supporter of efforts to promote healthy living as an effective way for kidney disease patients to overcome the challenges that are part and parcel of managing their condition.
Throughout this month, NKF and its partners have lined up a series of awareness activities nationwide, and its main event of a World Kidney Day Run was held today at Dataran Merdeka, attracting more than 2,000 participants.
Chuah, 39, who participated in the run, was diagnosed with end-stage kidney failure in 2003 and now undergoes dialysis three times a week.
"I did not see it coming because I had no previous medical problems and was active in sports. I decided to go for a medical checkup after feeling lethargic and suffering from a loss of appetite for a few weeks.
"At first I could not believe it. I was admitted for 10 days, after which I did not want to meet anyone. My life only got back on track after a few months," said Chuah, recalling his early days after being diagnosed with the disease.
An electrical engineer by profession, Chuah who worked with a global company conceded that despite his positive attitude towards life, the disease has affected his abilities to travel overseas, something which he used to do a lot for work-related purposes.
However, he advised all kidney disease patients to remember that it is not the end of the line and urged them to become members of the Patients Support Group.
At a press conference held after the run, Health Ministry development director Datuk Dr Azmi Shapie quoted figures from the National Renal Registry which showed that the total number of patients on dialysis had grown from 6,689 in 2000 to 21,159 in 2009.
He noted that 34 per cent of dialysis patients who died in 2009, died of cardiovascular disease, prompting the theme for this year's celebration: "Protect Our Kidneys, Save Our Hearts". -- theSun

10 Peratus Menderita Penyakit Buah Pinggang

March 20, 2011

KUALA LUMPUR 20 Mac – Kira-kira 10 peratus rakyat negara ini dikesan menderita penyakit buah pinggang rosak, kata Menteri Kesihatan, Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai.
Beliau berkata, pesakit baru yang menjalani rawatan dialisis di negara ini didapati meningkat kepada 146 orang daripada satu juta populasi pada tahun 2009 berbanding 79 orang daripada satu juta populasi pada tahun 2000.
“Bilangan pesakit yang menjalani rawatan dialisis meningkat dari 6,689 pada tahun 2000 kepada 21,159 orang pada tahun 2009,” katanya melalui teks ucapan yang dibacakan oleh Pengarah Bahagian Perkembangan Perubatan Kementerian Kesihatan Malaysia, Datuk Dr. Azmi Shapie pada Hari Buah Pinggang Sedunia 2011 di sini hari ini.
Turut hadir pada majlis berkenaan ialah Presiden Kumpulan Sokongan Bagi Pesakit Buah Pinggang, Chuah Seong Ban.
Tiong Lai berkata, kira-kira 58 peratus daripada pesakit buah pinggang tersebut didapati turut mengidap penyakit kencing manis dan lapan peratus lagi menderita penyakit darah tinggi.
Tambahnya, Kementerian Kesihatan turut mendapati kira-kira 34 peratus daripada pesakit yang menjalani rawatan dialisis telah meninggal dunia pada tahun 2009 akibat penyakit jantung.
Justeru, katanya, pihaknya kini berhasrat untuk meningkatkan tempoh Kajian Kesihatan Kebangsaan dan Morbiditi mengenai penyakit itu daripada 10 tahun sekali kepada 4 tahun sekali.
Menurutnya, Kementerian Kesihatan mahu melihat perkembangan penyakit itu di negara ini dan berusaha mencari jalan untuk memastikan rakyat Malaysia dapat menjalani gaya hidup yang sihat dan cergas.
Sementara itu, Seong Ban pula berkata, pihaknya menubuhkan Kumpulan Sokongan Bagi Pesakit Buah Pinggang bertujuan memberi semangat kepada mereka yang menderita penyakit buah pinggang.
Menurutnya, kumpulan tersebut mengadakan pelbagai aktiviti termasuk bengkel kesihatan dan demonstrasi diet kepada pesakit buah pinggang di negara ini dengan dana yang diperoleh daripada Yayasan Buah Pinggang Kebangsaan Malaysia
“Ramai pesakit akan hilang keyakinan diri selepas mendapat tahu penyakit yang dialami tersebut dan kami mahu memberi semangat kepada pesakit supaya terus menjalani kehidupan yang normal,’ jelasnya

Disease and dialysis no barrier for engineer

By P. ARUNA
aruna@thestar.com.my

KUALA LUMPUR: Chuah Seong Ban was diagnosed with end-stage kidney failure seven years ago, but he thumbed his nose at his condition and has become a ray of hope for other patients instead.

“When I first found out that I had the disease, of course, I was devastated,” said the electrical engineer, who has to attend four-hour dialysis treatments three times a week.

The news came as a shock to Chuah (pic),

who did not have any other health condition prior to the diagnosis.

“In the beginning, I locked myself at home and refused to meet anyone,” said Chuah.

He later decided not to allow the disease to keep him down.

Chuah, along with 29 other dialysis patients, participated in the “World Kidney Day Run 2011” held at the

Merdeka Square

here in conjunction with World Kidney Day yesterday.

“It is important not to give up,” said Chuah, 39, who recently took on the responsibility as president of a support group for those suffering from chronic kidney diseases.

The “Patient Support Group” which has almost 700 members, is funded by the National Kidney Foundation (NKF).

“We reach out to all our members and help them to deal with living with the disease,” he said, adding that the group advocated easier access to dialysis treatment and lower prices for medication besides providing health information to its members about the latest treatment and healthcare issues.

Besides the inevitable changes, like not being able to travel as much due to his dialysis sessions, Chuah said his life was still normal.

“It is important not to give up,” he said.

For more details on the support group, call 03-79549048 or email welfare@nkf.org.my.