Living Well with Home Treatments
News Articles
Dialysis Nurse Lindsey Sippl Helps Home Patients Teach Hospital Nurses
12/11/2024
Watch the 9 minute video
Hear Gemma Savory’s experience of kidney disease, cancer, and home HD
12/11/2024
Gemma shares her transition from in-center to home HD in the UK and offers practical tips. Watch the interview
Dawn Smith Bates shares a tip for care partners
12/11/2024
Jimmie has been on home dialysis for 15 years—and since he does most of his own treatments, it helps Dawn to avoid burnout. Watch her 1 minute video
November is National Diabetes Awareness Month
11/21/2024
Anne Huang, CKD patient, interviews Jodi who has had Type I diabetes since 7 and is on home HD. In this 27 minute Kidney Foundation of Canada video Jody shares tips about eating healthy, managing blood pressure, how she does home HD, works, travels and copes with these two diagnoses.
Dawn Smith Bates shares tips for traveling with husband Jimmie who is on home HD
11/21/2024
Dawn and her husband Jimmie were in Milwaukee for the Harley Davidson’s Homecoming. Dawn discusses in one minute how they travel and do dialysis to enjoy a good quality of life.
Visits with Vanessa podcast answers questions about home HD training
11/21/2024
In this 17-minute podcast Vanessa asks Rosie, a home therapies administrator in MA, about home HD training, how to find a clinic, training length and schedule, self-cannulation, and what patients learn, going home, and more.
College Senior Jadyn Helton, 21, Chose Home HD
10/15/2024
She talks about why and how she does her home HD in this 25-minute video.
Michael Gilchrist Shows How to Set Up His Wife’s NxStage Machine on the Road
10/15/2024
This minute video is a show and tell with tips for machine setup from a care partner.
Dialysis Nurses, Techs, and Doctors: Don’t Tell Your Patients They Can’t Go Home
09/12/2024
Michael Gilchrist shares that those you think won’t do well may end up being the most successful (with video of his and Christina’s whale watching trip).
A Full Life on PD for an Emmy & Grammy Award-winning Opera Singer
09/12/2024
Reginald Smith, Jr and his partner discuss Reginald’s journey with kidney failure, from urgent start HD to APD, which has allowed him to continue his career and enjoy a full life. 6:24 minute video.
Life Hack for Opening PD Boxes and Dialysate Bags
09/12/2024
Charity Cannon—who has no thumbs—shows how she uses the PD line clamp to open boxes and dialysate bags in a short video.
Catheter Belt Use for Nightly PD
09/12/2024
In 3 minutes, learn how Tom Visotsky uses a PD belt and hear how he does PD nightly with a cycler.
Step-by-step Guide to Setting Up for Home HD
09/12/2024
Home HD dialyzor Clancy Mamu shares a step-by-step guide to prepare for a NxStage home HD treatment in this 22 minute video on his Total Dialysis channel.
Preparing Home HD Supplies for Air Travel
09/12/2024
In under 3 minutes, Michael Gilchrist shows how he labeled 2 days of NxStage supplies for when he and Christina traveled to Puerto Rico.
NKF’s Kidney Commute on Solo Home Hemodialysis
08/16/2024
This 30-minute podcast includes a doctor, nurse, social worker, and patient shares information to address concerns and benefits of solo home HD from safety to quality of life.
Home Dialysis: A Talk from a Patient’s Perspective
08/16/2024
This 20-minute video is by Clancy Mamu, a home dialysis patient who started a YouTube channel called Total Dialysis.
Watch an Interview with Ashliee Shankle, Who is Living Fully with PD
08/16/2024
Staff from Byonyks, a Pakistani device company, shares this 42-minute video interview with a PD cycler patient, wife, mother, cosmetologist, cookbook author, and social media influencer about being on the PD cycler.
A Lot of Living To Do - A Home Hemodialysis Experience
08/16/2024
This 27-minute video with Canadian home HD patient Richard McGregor, his partner, doctor, and nurse discusses kidney disease, reasons for choosing home HD, overcoming stress during training, and how Richard is living a full life with home HD.
Frequent Home Dialysis Benefits
08/16/2024
This short video (<1 minute) provides information on benefits with research citations.
Total Dialysis: A New Channel by a Home HD Patient for Patients
07/12/2024
Clancy Mamou has had two kidney transplants and is on home HD. He talks about his channel, where people who subscribe can hear about living with dialysis.
Podcast Dx Interviews Home HD patient and Care Partner
07/12/2024
Christina, known as Blind Chick Living, and Michael, known as the Caretaker, talk about challenges and living, traveling and thriving on dialysis in this 55 minute video.
Explore Three Innovative Types of Dialysis in a Podcast
06/14/2024
Kidney transplant advocate and recipient James “Uncle Jim” Myers, hosts a 65-minute podcast with Joshua Dipzinski, the CEO and co-founder of Premier Dialysis.
Watch PD Patient Kristen Rice Share Her Supply Storage and Machine Set-up
06/14/2024
Renal Support Network volunteer Kristen also covers catheter care, and how she fits work and fun in with her dialysis routine in this 32-minute video.
Myths & Barriers to Home Dialysis WebEx on Thursday, July 11 from 2-3pm ET
06/14/2024
Home dialysis advocate Dr. Osama El Shamy is the guest speaker for this informative webinar sponsored by the ESRD National Coordinating Center. Click here to register.
Have Portable Dialysis Machine Will Travel
06/14/2024
Watch the Home Dialysis Central’s 53-minute webinar on domestic travel with patient speakers, sponsored by Fresenius Medical Care.
Your Voice Matters: Talking With Your Dialysis Team
06/14/2024
Watch Home Dialysis Central’s 58-minute webinar. Sponsored by Outset Medical, guest presenters include a pediatric nephrologist and a technician who was on PD before she received a transplant and now is a patient advocate.
Nurse Nick Describes How to Travel on PD
05/09/2024
Invest 1 minute in his video to learn how.
Do These Steps to Overcome Your Dialysis Fear
05/09/2024
Bethany, a PD patient, has a channel called KidneyKeeping. Watch her 12:59-minute video.
Elbert and Easter: A Dialysis Love Story
05/09/2024
In a 5:55 video, learn how they met in-center and switched to home HD, and how the phosphate binder Velphoro works for them. The last 2 minutes is Velphoro safety info.
ESRD Network Coordinating Center Home Dialysis Videos
05/09/2024
NxStage Video Protocol for Supporting Patients in the First 90 Days at Home
05/09/2024
This one-minute step-by-step video describes ways a home training nurse can help patients get through the challenging first 90-days of home dialysis.
Hear Kamal Shah Present on Taking Charge of His Life
04/12/2024
Life didn’t stop for Kamal with dialysis. In fact, he co-founded NephroPlus dialysis clinics and wrote a book called Silver Linings. In a 13-minute talk, he shares his experiences of kidney failure, transplant and rejection, returning to PD, switching to home HD, and tips for an active productive life through work, exercise, mindfulness, and learning. Watch at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IoyovnRFePs. Read about NephroPlus at https://nephroplus.com/ and his blog at https://www.kamaldshah.com/,
New NxStage “See My Set-up” Video
04/12/2024
A 4 minute video includes home HD room set ups for several home dialyzers. Watch it here.
In Case You Missed It: Watch the Video of Last Month’s Wellness Webinar
04/12/2024
The How to Stay Mentally and Physically Well webinar includes speakers who are care partners, home dialysis patients and home dialysis advocates. Watch the webinar.
Roshanda Switched from In-center HD to PD to Home HD
03/15/2024
Watch the 1 minute video of why and how she did this
Regan has Down Syndrome, Type I Diabetes, and Kidney Failure
03/15/2024
When Regan’s kidneys failed at age 13, he started HD, but had problems with access and switched to PD. Now 15, he’s waiting for a kidney-pancreas transplant.
Raymond Scott Began His Kidney Failure Journey at 29. Now He is 54
03/15/2024
Raymond started PD, had a transplant, and has been on home HD since 2012. He and his wife Analyn educate people in AZ about kidney disease, organize free health screenings and started a nonprofit called 1in9Charities.
Christina Gilchrist Wouldn’t Take No for an Answer
03/15/2024
Christina’s kidney disease started two decades ago with in-center dialysis. She advocated to do PD and later home HD with a CVC. Christina’s husband started a support group and their podcast.
Join Our Home Dialysis Central Wellness Webinar at 7 p.m. ET on Thursday, March 21.
03/15/2024
Dawn Bates and Raymond Scott will talk about wellness from the care partner’s perspective, with guest Social Worker Beth Witten. This webinar is sponsored by NxStage. Register at https://lnkd.in/gFhsW7zy.
NKF of Greater NY hosted a webinar on Dialysis 101: What to Expect
02/07/2024
What to Expect with a panel including a doctor, nurse, dietitian and patient to dispel common myths, and describe . Watch the 57 minute video.
Pregnancy Rate Higher for Younger Black Patients on Home HD than PD
02/07/2024
This study of patients ages 15-49 from 2005-2018 found those on home HD had a higher pregnancy rate than those on PD.
The Virtual Nephrologist discusses risks of fasting during Ramadan for those with kidney disease
02/07/2024
Find out more.
Christina Celebrated Christmas Doing Home Dialysis Wile Camping
01/16/2024
Watch her short video!
Annaliese Chose Home HD to Best Fit Her Life and Raise Her Son
01/16/2024
This video shows her supportive nurse at Fresenius. Watch the 3 minute 40 second video!
Recycling Medication & Dialysis Supplies
12/15/2023
The Renal Support Network has a podcast on with Lori Hartwell and Cher Thomas, both transplant recipients. Listen to this 30-minute podcast.
Traveling on Peritoneal Dialysis
12/15/2023
Dialysis Patient Citizens created this 40 second video with PD travel tips.
Adjusting to Dialysis at Home
12/15/2023
MEI’s Jenn Ravert, RN, moderated a 40-minute Home Dialysis Central webinar with a home training nurse and two patient guests who talk about living with kidney disease.
DPC and Fresenius Held an Instagram Live Event on Home Dialysis
11/15/2023
Joanne Smith, RN, a nephrology nurse for 28 years who works for Fresenius, describes PD and home HD.
Dave the Kidney Guy Shares Information and Benefits of Home Hemodialysis
11/15/2023
Dave discusses training, scheduling treatments (daily and nocturnal HHD), equipment and supplies, monitoring and support, independence and quality of life plus more.
AKF Dialysis at Home Meeting Videos
10/13/2023
It Takes a Village: Being Successful at Home. Speakers include a home HD patient, nurse, dietitian, and nephrologist. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BRkx-C17jPs
Patient Advocate Panel: T hriving on Your Own Terms. Includes patients on various types of dialysis. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zNos0bBVUbs.
Living the Life You Want on Home Hemodialysis. Nurse-moderated session with patient speakers. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uJeE43n4yiw.
A Path To Independence With Peritoneal Dialysis. Speakers include a nephrologist, patients with transplants who were on PD, and a home training nurse. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IvUtqk0_-g8
Letisha Has a High Quality of Life on Home HD with a Tablo
10/13/2023
Twenty years after starting dialysis—and 10 years after a stroke, Letisha finds that using a Tablo for 5 hours 4 days a week is a time saver and space saver, and “like a dream.”
Meet Frank and Learn Which Treatments He Used for Kidney Failure
09/13/2023
In a 7-minute video, Frank, from Germany, discusses how he learned he had kidney failure, his treatment choices over time, and how he works, spends time with family and takes several vacations a year.
Maddie Warren Started Dialysis at 14—25 Years Ago
09/13/2023
In typical, adventurous Maddie style, she celebrated with a 6-day, 100 mile horseback riding trip across Wales.
Thriving From the Start: Your First 90 Days of Home Dialysis
08/16/2023
See a one-hour webinar hosted by MEI and sponsored by Outset Medical with Anne Edwards, APRN, David Rush and Neil Lentz, who use Tablo HD machines.
Actress Dawn Raven Talks About Paying for PD
07/17/2023
A solution to the cost of Dialysis and being a Chronic Kidney Disease patient. Find this 14.5 minute video
Watch Home Dialysis Central’s Live Your Best Life with Home Dialysis webinar
06/14/2023
You can still enjoy the things that matter most! Live your best life with home dialysis. Discover how home dialysis can make everyday joy possible.
Mary Crowley is enjoying life and traveling on PD
06/14/2023
Watch this 1.5 minute video!
Wisdom from a Warrior – RSN Podcast with Lori Hartwell
04/19/2023
Lori interviewed Dawn Edwards, an advocate and mentor who has lived with kidney disease for 31 years. Listen to the podcast.
Bethanie’s PD YouTube Channel
04/19/2023
Bethanie, a PD patient, has posted 8 videos in the last month on topics like choosing PD, catheter surgery, catheter care, supply storage, using the cycler, manual PD exchanges, and PD clinic day. Visit KidneyKeeping on YouTube.
Boulder, CO Mechanic on PD Hopes for a Kidney Transplant
04/19/2023
Charlie Bigsby’s long-time friend offered a kidney—then could not donate, and several other offers also fell through. The owner of Charley’s Garage chose PD to keep working and caring for his rescue dogs while he waits.
Ms. Bailey-Wilson Switched from In-Center to Home
04/19/2023
After 4 years on in-center dialysis, she wanted to travel, work full-time, and avoid post-dialysis fatigue. Learn how her clinic helped her.
Christina and Michael Share Their Lives with NxStage Home HD
04/19/2023
The couple posted 44 videos last month about their lives with her on home HD and him as her care partner on LivingonDialysis.
The Future of Home Dialysis
02/10/2023
In this 2-minute video, patient advocate and HDU Board member John Brandon Bayton interviews fellow advocate and board member Dawn Edwards about the future of home dialysis and what could help more patients to consider it.
Vanessa Evans’ Interviews Eric Weinhandl
02/10/2023
Eric Weinhandl is an epidemiologist at Satellite Healthcare, MEI and HDU Board member, and a long-time home dialysis enthusiast. He monitors and makes sense of data on home dialysis. Listen to some of what he’s learned in this 23-minute podcast.
Traveling on Home Hemodialysis
02/10/2023
David Rush uses a Tablo machine for home HD. While it is not portable, David made a 1-minute video showing him in Hawaii, using a loaner Tablo.
PD and Your Life Webinar
01/10/2023
This one-hour Home Dialysis Central webinar on December 13, 2022, sponsored by Fresenius Kidney Care shared information and answered questions about living with PD.
KidneyLuv Podcast Interview with Home Dialysis Advocates Jimmie and Dawn Bates
01/10/2023
This 42-minute video is about a couple who do home HD in their RV.
State of MS Grant Helps Fresenius Use Virtual Reality to “Show” Patients Home Dialysis
01/10/2023
The Mississippi Department of Health's Office of Rural Health and Primary Care provided more than $130,000 for this Fresenius and IKONA project. The funds will pay for VR headsets so patients in 137 MS clinics can see what home dialysis is like.
Register for January 11th (Tomorrow!) Home HD Webinar
01/10/2023
Home Dialysis Central will hold a webinar on January 11 at 7 p.m. EST sponsored by Outset Medical with MEI staff and home HD patients talking about living a full life with home HD using the Tablo.
Using Nx2Me to Troubleshoot NxStage Cycler problems
12/19/2022
A short, animated NxStage video demonstrates how a home training nurse can answer questions and teach a patient to troubleshoot problems with his/her machine using the Nx2Me app on an iPad. Watch the video.
Low-stress Home Dialysis Trips for the Holidays
12/19/2022
An American Kidney Fund blog post interviews Nieltje Gedney, a home HD patient and frequent traveler. Nieltje shares tips for reducing stress when traveling by car or plane.
What It Takes to Start an Urgent Start PD Program
12/19/2022
A 6.5-minute podcast discusses barriers to PD, components of a successful urgent start PD program, patient selection, and early patient education. Listen, or read the transcript.
AKF Ambassador Thrives on Home Dialysis
11/16/2022
Krystal Bell spent 7 years driving 40-miles round trip the dialysis clinic three times a week before she found out that home treatments were an option. Now, she creates her own dialysis schedule, cares for her daughter, and leads a normal life.
There is More to Life than Dialysis
11/16/2022
As we learn more about patient-centered care and strive towards patients achieving goals and having better quality of life, we need a way to measure whether patients are truly and actively achieving these goals. As 32-year dialyzor and advocate Dawn Edwards points out, a study establishing a measure for life participation in patients receiving PD could not be more important.
Tablo Demonstrates High Treatment Completion Among Users
11/16/2022
A perennial concern of nephrologists who are not familiar with home HD is that patients at home won’t do their treatments. Results of a new trial with the Outset Tablo should ease their minds. The study found that treatment adherence was 95%, with 92% of treatments completing at least 90% of the prescribed time.
Fresenius Liberty Select PD Cycler FDA-approved for Remote Therapy
11/16/2022
On November 2, 2022, Global Head of Home Therapies Joe Turk noted that the upgrade to remote therapy management with the Kinexus® platform is another innovation to help get more people home safely.
A Non-Surgical Option for Vascular Access
10/17/2022
Vascular specialists can now use WavelinQ. This new, non-surgical approach uses two thin, flexible, catheters, each with a magnet on the end. One catheter is threaded into an artery. The other goes into a vein. The small needle punctures that are used heal with no stitches and little to no scarring. A burst of radiofrequency between the magnets forms a fistula.
The Voice's Adam Isaac Talks About PD
09/13/2022
There were times when Isaac “felt like all the energy had left my body,” but he kept performing and doing dialysis backstage at gigs, because that is what he loves.
Kamal Shah Describes How PD Changed His Life
09/13/2022
After switching to (PD) Kamal incorporated meditation and journaling into his daily routine which helped tremendously with mental and physical health.
Sign Up for the 9/15 Dialysis At Home: A Kidney Community Event!
09/13/2022
Want to learn more about home dialysis? Look no further! Dialysis At Home is a FREE online event for CKD, ESKD & dialysis patients co-sponsored by Home Dialyzors United and the American Kidney Fund on Sept. 15. Sign up here.
Dialysis Sparks Passion in Full-time Advocate
08/11/2022
Dawn says her true passion lies in speaking to other patients about her 30-year journey with kidney failure, which has included standard in-center HD, PD, transplant, and home dialysis.
Couple Takes Care of Dad’s PD at Home
08/11/2022
Instead of opting for a nursing home for their Dad’s last weeks, this couple helped him to do PD at home—and he lived well for 4 years!
Home HD Allows Man to Camp on Vacation
08/11/2022
With home HD, Chad Wagy can go on vacation and camping trips while doing his treatments with his portable dialysis machine.
Dialysis Doesn’t Slow Down Jimmie and Dawn Bates
08/11/2022
The Iowa couple purchased an RV and has been traveling across the country for the past 3 months as NxStage advocates, showing fellow patients that there is more to life than dialysis.
Home Dialysis Is Becoming More Popular in Hawaii
07/13/2022
A growing minority of dialysis patients in Hawaii are training for home dialysis. Nephrologist Shiuh-Feng Sherwing Cheng says he used to recommend home treatments for “young professionals.” Now, he asks himself, “Is there a reason not to?
From PD to Home HD—with Tablo
06/10/2022
When 75 hours of PD each week stopped working for him, Dick Henry switched to 16 hours per week on the Tablo, which has allowed him to reclaim his life and get back to doing what he loves—playing golf several times a week.
Benefits of Exercise on PD
06/10/2022
A meta-analysis of 17 studies with 287 people on PD found some mild adverse events—addressable by exercise modification—and likely benefits for patients who were more physically active.
Granny On the Go
05/12/2022
Sandra Cannon’s travel days were not over, just because her kidneys packed up. The Royal Caribbean Diamond member still cruises to her favorite islands—now with her PD cycler in tow.
The Many Lives of James Manning
04/18/2022
Now 90, James’ was a colonel in the Army reserves, a technical writer, a teacher, a salesperson, and is a dad of 13, a granddad and a great granddad. Nearing retirement, he learned he had CKD. When his kidneys failed 7 years later, he did home HD for 11 years and traveled, then in-center, and remained an active volunteer.
New Models Needed to Drive Home Dialysis Growth
04/18/2022
Dr. Paul Komenda recommends just-right timing for modality education, using predictive equations to identify who is most at risk of progression to end-stage kidney disease. Home dialysis assistance in the home could make a difference as well.
Home Dialysis Benefits Outweigh In-Center, Says Eric Weinhandl, PhD, MS
03/16/2022
In a talk at the virtual Annual Dialysis Conference, Weinhandl pointed out that recovery time is “vanquished,” COVID transmission is cut in half, and use of blood pressure medicines and phosphate inders is dramatically reduced with PD and home HD.
Kent Reporter Says Goodbye to Longest Surviving Kidney Patient
03/16/2022
Nancy Spaeth, pioneer, activist, and shining icon of a life well lived with kidney disease, was “a petite person physically, with the biggest personality to help others that I have ever known,” said dietitian Katy Wilkins. Spaeth, who passed away in January at 74 after 55 years of transplant, PD, and home and in-center HD, will be missed by all of us in the kidney community.
“Sharp as a Tack” 92-year Old Woman Opts for PD
02/15/2022
In an “ask the doctor” news column, a daughter learns that PD outcomes are better than standard in-center HD, and can be done on her own schedule.
DaVita PD Nurse Loves to Empower Her Patients
02/15/2022
Cheroyl Reado has helped hundreds of patients during her 30-year nephrology nursing career. “I tell my patients, ‘never let dialysis rule you. You rule it.” Empowering her patients gives her a tremendous sense of purpose.
Fresenius TCU Helped Mark Hibbitt Find His Best Dialysis Fit
02/15/2022
As a “retired” and busy handyman, dad, and granddad, who likes to cook and go fishing, Mark needed a treatment option that would let him keep the life he loves—and a Fresenius Transitional Care Unit helped him find it!
Inadequate Fluid Management Predicts PD Technique Failure
01/14/2022
APD and CAPD patients with fluid-related complaints had a higher risk of technique failure within 1 year of starting PD.
PD Predictor of Maintaining Employment During Dialysis
01/14/2022
The point of dialysis is to allow people to live fully—which may include a job. Yet only about 26% of people on dialysis are working. PD was one factor identified in a meta-analysis as helping employment rates.
Dr. Martin Schreiber: DaVita Has Helped 445,000 Patients Dialyze at Home Since 2002
12/16/2021
DaVita has transformed patients’ lives by helping them to manage their condition in their homes, giving them more time back to do the things they love. Three lessons he has learned: 1). Understand your patients and their environment, 2). Commit to patient experience, and 3). Deepen connectivity with smart technology.
Common Aquaporin Gene Variation Could Make PD Less Effective for Some
11/12/2021
A research team has found that mutations in the AQP1 gene at rs2075574 affect how a patient’s body performs ultrafiltration, which can impact the outcome of PD treatments. The mutation was found in 14% of a sample of 1,851 adults.
NEJM Commentary: A COVID Silver Lining: Bringing Kidney Care Home
11/12/2021
A commentary in the New England Journal of Medicine suggests that the COVID pandemic may be our best opportunity to expedite a shift from center-based dialysis to home treatments to benefit patients and provide higher quality, less expensive, and more convenient care.
PD Gets Tori McCoy Back In The Game
09/14/2021
Tori, who is 6’5” loves basketball, and is a gifted player who was the #2 recruit in the U.S., and was drafted for the WNBA. But, a diagnosis of FSGS and subsequent standard in-center HD took basketball away from her. Now doing PD, Tori has been able to start coaching, while she awaits a kidney transplant.
A Cross-Country Motorcycle Trip of 26 Days, 28 Stops, and 10 PD Supply Deliveries
09/14/2021
Deb Hamilton and her husband Angus drove more than 5,700 miles across the U.S., and the video of their inspiring trip won a Bronze Telly award.
Montville Man Remains Hopeful
09/14/2021
Luis Santiago Velasquez has type 1 diabetes and kidney failure. He feels blessed to be able to come home from his full-time job each day and do PD. But, his 11-hour cycler time cuts into family activities, and he is hoping for a transplant.
Starting PD Slowly Can Offer Good Results
09/14/2021
People who start dialysis often still have some residual kidney function—so why give them a full dialysis dose? Incremental (PD) is a gradual start, with lower exchange volumes and less glucose. In research, this also led to a longer peritonitis-free survival.
Canadians Identify Support Options to Keep People on Home Dialysis
08/12/2021
Canadian researchers suggest that home dialysis dropout could be reduced with home visits, emotional and mental health care, peer support, and a home HD assist program similar to the one in PD to reduce anxiety and help prevent burnout.
Miss International 2013 Talks About Home Dialysis
08/12/2021
Beauty Queen Bea Rose Santiago does solo home dialysis five times a week after developing an autoimmune disease that caused kidney failure. She is on the transplant list, and says, “you get better or you get bitter.”
Champion Powerlifter Can Still Bench Press 500 Lbs on Home HD
08/12/2021
While he awaits a transplant, Steve Gentili opened Indy City Barbell in downtown Indianapolis. He does home HD 5 days a week and trains and inspires other powerlifters to compete.
One In Eight Dialysis Patients Treat At Home
07/12/2021
UC Health in Colorado trains people for both PD and home HD. After training and commitment, patients Juan Camacho and Sonja Carter say home dialysis has allowed them to retain a measure of control over their lives.
NxStage Comes to Bismark, ND, and Will Change Marcelo Lara’s Life
07/12/2021
For 7 years, Lara has been dialyzing in-center, and “Honestly, you have no life,” he said. He is excited about starting training, no longer having holidays and vacations disrupted, and being able to go to a church camp.
Davita Launches Virtual Support Group for its Home Dialyzors
07/12/2021
The DaVita Care Connect mobile health platform is now being used to help home patients connect to each other for information, support, and community. Led by DaVita home support specialists, the free online support groups will address expectations, stress management, transplant, and more.
Infant Born with Kidney Failure is a Fighter
06/15/2021
Everett was born with kidney disease and started dialysis at just 4 months old. Now almost 10 months old, Everett does PD at home every night for 10 hours, and his parents say that when he is big enough, he will need a transplant.
South Dakota Senior Living Center Now Offers Home Dialysis On-site
05/14/2021
Instead of spending 6 hours or more travelling to a dialysis clinic, residents at Good Sam Sioux Falls Village for independent living can now receive staff-assisted dialysis treatment in their new, onsite, home hemodialysis den—the first of its kind in South Dakota.
Austin TX Woman Safely Weathered Storm Doing Dialysis At Home
05/14/2021
Rhea Taylor credits her NxStage home dialysis for getting her through the destructive February winter storm with no problems. Using bagged dialysate, she did not need an external water source, which was unavailable during the catastrophic storms that paralyzed Texas.
“If You Can Do It, I Advise You To,” Says Lamont Wilson About Home HD
04/16/2021
A Paducah, Kentucky resident, Wilson now dialyzes in his living room five days a week. He feels better and enjoys the convenience of not having to travel to a clinic.
Home Dialysis is “A Gift of Life.”
04/16/2021
When Erich Ditschman developed gout in high school, he learned he had early stage 3 CKD. After starting in-center HD, he received a kidney from his wife and high school sweetheart, but it failed immediately, due to FSGS, as did a second one. Erich began home dialysis in 2008, and it improved his life.
Counseling and Assistance Could Help Reduce PD Dropout
03/09/2021
Anxiety, depression, and loss of social support, or inability to tolerate the number of treatment sessions accounted for 63% of the PD dropout rate in a study of 83 patients, 24 of whom stopped doing PD. Counseling for patients and care partners and assisted PD were suggested as interventions to help.
CMS CEC Model Case Study Focuses on Fresenius Approach to Home Therapies
03/09/2021
CMS conducted research to identify best practices for encouraging a safe transition to home dialysis modalities. A case study assessing Fresenius Kidney Care’s home dialysis program concluded that targeted home dialysis education programs are the most effective solution for encouraging patients to consider the modality.
Irish Man Cleans House to Benefit from PD
01/12/2021
Even with every 2 week delivery, Dermot Hayes from Clare, Ireland, had to make room for PD by clearing out unnecessary items and giving some to charity shops—and his sacrifices were worth it. “I feel way better after that type of dialysis, my energy is better, my head is clearer and I can do a lot more things, I’m not as tired so it has been a great addition.” Read his story.
Tablo Home HD Machine a Good COVID-Safe Option for Dick Henry
01/12/2021
Henry found the perfect option to avoid exposure to doctors and others on dialysis by taking his HD home with the Tablo. After just 2 weeks of training, Dick’s wife, Liz, was able to become his care partner. “The best part is that Dick is feeling better,” Liz reports. Now he plays 18 holes of golf three times a week. Watch the video.
Man Gains Independence with Home HD and Advocates for Others
01/12/2021
Bryan Mays lost a foot and his kidney function, but instead of giving up, he learned to dialyze at home. Fresenius Kidney Care in Cleveland OH has helped more than 80 patients, including Mays, to turn their struggles into survival.
What To Know Before Choosing Home Dialysis
12/10/2020
COVID is driving more people to consider home treatments. Doctor Prashant C. Dheerendra talks about 5 things to consider when thinking about home.
Baxter Homechoice Claria With Sharesource Supports Home Dialysis Growth
12/10/2020
The FDA has cleared Baxter’s newest PD system, which walks people through the steps of PD—in 38 languages. And, the Sharesource platform helps keep patients and care teams in contact.
Documentary on Home Dialysis and COVID-19
11/12/2020
Season 2, Episode 4 of “the New Normal,” a brief online documentary series, focuses on the value of home dialysis during a pandemic. Watch the 5 minute, 17 second episode here.
PD Is Coming to Rajasthan, India Free of Charge
11/12/2020
Thousands of dialysis patients in Jaipur India will soon have the choice of free PD at home if they have a suitable room, not just in-center HD. While the plans have been delayed by COVID, the Rajasthan Medical Services Corporation plans to begin the program in November or December.
KidneyTalk: Transitioning to Home Dialysis
10/12/2020
In an RSN KidneyTalk podcast, Michelle Pace, a Kidney Care Advocate at Fresenius talks about the benefits of transitioning from in-center to home dialysis and explains the options that exist and how they add more freedom and flexibility to diet and lifestyle.
Access-Friendly HD Clothing
09/11/2020
Created by a dialysis patient, these garments provide warmth and easy access during treatment without sacrificing comfort.
Observations Suggest that PD May Reduce COVID-19 Risk
07/09/2020
A webinar done with Dialysis Outcomes and Practice Patterns (DOPPS) investigators noted that PD patients around the world seemed to have lower rates of COVID-19 infection than those using standard in-center HD.
COVID-19 Fears Improved Rima’s Life—With a Switch to PD
06/10/2020
Overcrowded hospitals—during a global pandemic—were frightening for Rima, who lives in India. But, an introduction to peritoneal dialysis 6 months ago improved her life. Today, she has fewer diet limits and enjoys the freedom to move around her home and get things done as she dialyzes
Texas Man Who Crashed Into Dialysis Chose Home HD
06/10/2020
After Jonathan Taylor, who weighed 340 lbs., collapsed in his home, a hospital visit found him within 30 minutes of death from kidney failure. Now, he has lost weight, is seeking a transplant, and he and his wife just completed training to do NxStage home HD.
Take a U of Michigan Survey About YOUR Life Goals On Dialysis
06/10/2020
Can you help? Follow this link to take a survey about your life goals and dialysis care team. They will use the results to make sure that a new Life Goals survey has valid and reliable information. Your responses are confidential.
Mom of Three Does PD 250 Miles Away from Her Doctor
05/12/2020
Monitored with Baxter’s 2-way telehealth platform, Sharesource, Joanne is able to continue her peaceful, rural Nebraska ranch life with the aid of PD to treat her kidney failure due to membranous nephropathy—saving her six 80-mile trips per week, and allowing her to live fully.
Chuck Bowden Thrives with Daily Home HD
04/13/2020
“Retirement” didn’t stick for Chuck—he volunteers and enjoys several hobbies and time with his family. After a 24-year transplant failed, home HD let him live the way he wanted to.
Techs Improve Outcomes for Home Patients
03/16/2020
An abstract presented at the Annual Dialysis Conference reported on a program using dialysis technicians to help nurses deliver care at home for PD and home HD. The findings? Clinic work flows were more efficient—and patient training time dropped from an average of 5.5 weeks to just 3 weeks.
Putting Out Fires
03/16/2020
A Chenango, New York volunteer firefighter is back to helping out at the station now that he is treating his kidney disease through home dialysis with Fresenius.
Energy Fund Helps with HHD Cost
02/19/2020
The ability to do kidney dialysis from home gives a NZ mum a better quality of life, thanks to the Contact Energy Renal Endowment Fund that helps defray the increase in utility costs. Home therapies are so popular that the fund is running low, however.
Planning A Safari?
01/09/2020
Holiday dialysis allows patients to travel and receive in-center treatment at any of 23 Life Renal Dialysis units across South Africa.
Integrated Care to Improve Transitions Between Dialysis Options
12/10/2019
In a long life with kidney failure, there is a high chance that someone will need to change from one treatment option to another. How these transitions are managed and prepared for can make a difference to the outcomes.
Home HD—Away From Home
10/14/2019
Patients who don’t own their own homes may lack access to home HD. Community house home HD for them has pluses, finds a New Zealand study of 25 patients. Each had a designated machine, and some rooms had several machines so they could socialize during treatment. The researchers identified four themes: less burden, more flexibility, greater control, and peer support.
Hi Ho Silver! Switch to Fresenius Lets Couple Live on the Road with Their Horses
10/14/2019
Roy Henderson, 85, and his wife Jeanette, 61, love life on the road in the living quarters of their horse trailer, and they haven’t let Roy’s dialysis stop them. Switching to Fresenius gave them access to a network of 2,600 clinics nationwide, where they can pick up home HD supplies and get back up care. “I’m staying alive, living my life the way I like to live it, and riding my horse,” explains Roy.
Satellite Creates a Home Dialysis Video Story
09/12/2019
See Nieltje Gedney from Home Dialyzor’s United interviewed in a new win-win story.
PD Keeps Sioux Falls Attorney at Law
09/12/2019
When kidney failure caused extreme fatigue for Steve Rabuck, he feared his working days were over. Now, receiving dialysis at home has changed his life, thanks to his newfound energy.
David Ritchie Can Do His Treatment in His Sleep. Literally.
08/14/2019
"I wake up in the morning. I'm done with dialysis. I feel like a million bucks. I have energy again. I can go about my day," says Ritchie, who began PD after his kidneys failed due to diabetes.
Home Dialysis Makes Sense in Alaska
08/14/2019
With earthquakes and bitter cold that can disrupt roads and power supplies, Alaska is more prone to emergencies than some places. Gary Allen Moore, who has dialyzed for 6 years chose PD—and stays prepared with an extra 2 weeks of supplies. His wife, Yalonda, says PD gives them more control.
Kidney Camp for Kids
06/13/2019
Each June since 1974, Dialysis Clinic Incorporated hosts week-long Camp Okawehna in Lyles, TN for children ages 6-18. With on-site medication, dialysis, and medical staff, campers who use PD, HD, or who have had a kidney transplant can enjoy fun activities safely.
Chelsea was Born with Kidney Disease: NxStage Helps Her Thrive
05/15/2019
Born 2 months premature, Chelsea and her mom protected her 25% kidney function so well that it lasted 33 years. Read part 1 of her inspiring story.
Fresenius + NxStage = a Better Life for Anvil Nelson
05/15/2019
At age 62, Nelson still runs a cleaning chemical manufacturing business, travels for work, spends time with his wife of 34 years, and is on the Board of Directors for the Nashville Rescure Mission. But, all of that was uncertain when he lost his kidney function. When he learned about home HD, he knew it would help him live his life the way he wanted to.
The Longer I Stayed on the In-Center, Daytime Dialysis, the Worse I Felt.
04/11/2019
62-year old Roger Cash, of Flowery Branch, Georgia, and his wife Raynelle called on teamwork from their 42-year marriage to help get their lives back after PKD led to kidney failure in 2014. In-center treatments made it hard for Roger to keep his job as a manufacturing technician, and a switch to in-center nocturnal HD wasn’t enough. Learning home HD helped him to feel better—and get back to work.
Tribute to Bill Peckham - Nobody Did It Better
03/12/2019
A video honors the life of home dialysis advocate and world traveler Bill Peckham, who inspired many to live well with kidney disease and dialysis.
An Apple A Day Keeps the Grim Reaper Away
02/14/2019
Eat real food! A study finds that eating more fruits and vegetables is linked with a lower risk of early death in patients on hemodialysis, just as it is with the general public. Talk with your dietitian about which fruits and vegetables are safest for you. Home dialysis = more food options.
Dialyzor Designs Zip It Up Dialysis Clothing
02/14/2019
El Paso dialysis patient Bernie Serrano saw the need to stay warm safely during his treatments, so he developed and is working on patenting a line of tops and pants with zippers to keep accesses in view.
The Couple that Dialyzes Together Stays Together
01/11/2019
Ohio Newlyweds Evan and Jenna Coaker have a lot in common—including kidney failure. Now, their lives work better, because both do in-center nocturnal HD at the Cleveland Clinic.
Teen Plays Hard with PD
01/11/2019
When Josalyn Brown learned that reflux had left her with 30% kidney function at just 16, she was afraid her avid vollyball playing days were over, and she would miss her team’s annual trip. But, with a compression band to hold her catheter in place, and her mom’s support—she’s done both.
Fashion for Dialysis Living
12/14/2018
A UK dialyzor and fashion student has created a line of clothing called “Able” that provides easy access to lines, fistulas and grafts—and is bright, modern, warm, comfy, and helps people feel good.
New Fresenius Troy, NY Clinic Lets Trudy Gildersleeve Live Her Life
10/12/2018
Ms. Gildersleeve thought her life was over when she learned that she would need dialysis—but now she uses a cycler to do PD overnight, an option offered by the new clinic. Read the story.
PD First For American Senior Centers
09/10/2018
From dialysis to x-rays, patients at American Senior Community Centers with kidney failure can receive emotional help, nutrition support—and Fresenius nurses can teach them how to do gentle PD.
Gymnast Dialyzes Toward Championship with PD
08/13/2018
Katherine Paton has had a lifelong passion for gymnastics—and, while her kidneys have quit, she hasn’t let it stop her from aiming for Olympic gold!
New Global Travel Review Website for Dialyzors!
08/13/2018
UK Students worked with dialysis experts to create a dialysis clinic review website for patients who want to travel the world. Learn where to go or share your travel story!
Amia Cycler Lets Visually Impaired Man Stay Independent
07/13/2018
Jeremy Starr, a Sagkeeng First Nation man from Manitoba, is using an Amia cycler to do PD by himself, observed by his nursing team, more than 100 kilometres away. At 47, Starr lost his eyesight and his kidney function. He now calls his cycler, his “life-saving friend.” Read his story.
77 Year Old Man Awaiting a Kidney Does Home HD
07/13/2018
Now retired from a bank, Dick Nietfeld still sells German-made blacksmith anvils and travels to his riverside property. After 25 years of type 2 diabetes, his kidneys failed, and he is waiting for a transplant. With the help of his wife, Joann, his home treatments have become routine, and are keeping him healthy for a new kidney. Read his story.
Caring For Those Who Care
06/12/2018
A new law will create an advisory council and a blueprint for government action to help address the financial, employment, respite, and other needs of the army of unpaid caregivers who help loved ones with chronic diseases. Meanwhile, community groups, hospitals, nonprofits and government agencies have programs to help the helpers.
Talking Amia Cycler Lets a Visually Impaired Man do APD
06/12/2018
Jeremy Starr, in Manitoba, CA, lost his kidney failure—and most of his eyesight—to type 2 diabetes. Instead of multiple daily exchanges, the Amia cycler safely allows him to do PD at night, and transmits his data to his clinic, for more freedom.
Watch Teddy Fletcher’s Mom Set Up his PD Machine
05/11/2018
Baby Teddy gets 9 hours of PD each day, and his mom, Leigh, shows us how it’s done.
Home HD Keeps Colleen Dancing
05/11/2018
Colleen Berry loves line dancing and Zumba—and switching from in-center to home HD got rid of her nausea, leg cramps, and other symptoms and back on the dance floor.
PD is a New Normal for Bill
05/11/2018
When Bill’s kidneys failed at age 54 due to polycystic kidney disease, he couldn’t work and his whole life was thrown into a tailspin. Nighttime PD got him back to work and a normal life that includes travel and time with his grandchildren as he waits for a kidney transplant.
A Marathon Achievement for Maddy Warren
05/11/2018
After 20 years on dialysis, Maddy—who does nocturnal home hemodialysis and works as a business consultant—ran the London Marathon in April! In addition to running, she also enjoys skydiving, mountain climbing, and horseback riding.
UK Home Dialyzor Named Longest Surviving Dialysis Patient!
05/11/2018
Mahesh Mehta in the UK holds the Guinness World Record for the longest time on dialysis—at 43 years and counting. Now 61, Mehta started treatment at age 18, and two transplants failed. He did home dialysis before and after the surgeries.
Beating the Odds with Nocturnal In-center HD
04/12/2018
Throughout 93 operations, two transplants, and 22 years on dialysis, 41-year old Brian—who works at his own dialysis clinic—has been an inspiration. “I’m shooting for 100 – then I can go for a full body transplant,” he jokes.
Home HD Keeps Lucille Going
03/16/2018
Lucille, is one of the world’s longest dialysis patients, with 40 years of continuous treatments (a transplant did not succeed). These days, she spends 2.5 hours on dialysis five days a week, supports her husband’s business, and dotes on her five grandchildren.
What to Expect when Expecting—On Dialysis
03/16/2018
Pregnancy and a healthy baby ARE possible on dialysis—with enough treatment. Read Clementine’s and Yvonne’s stories for two examples of how this can work.
Standard In-center HD is Not Work-friendly
02/15/2018
Is it possible to help people with kidney failure keep their jobs? Perhaps if we reach out before dialysis starts—and consider the nature of the dialysis most people receive in the U.S…
Sleeping Sedatives and PD Mortality: Sweet Dreams
01/11/2018
Survival among 46 CAPD patients who used benzodiazepines or zolpidem to help sleep was just as good as in 100 patients who did not use these drugs.
Affordable Care Act Enrollment Ends December 15th
11/13/2017
If you need to buy a marketplace insurance plan, ACT NOW—the window is quickly closing. Sign up here.
More Hours of Dialysis Boost Survival
11/13/2017
Survival of patients who receive intensive home hemodialysis (IHHD) is similar to those who have a deceased-donor kidney transplant! Read the story.
Winnipeg, Canada Expands Innovative PD Program
10/13/2017
If you are a good candidate for PD, but need help to do the exchanges, Winnipeg would be a good place to live. The province’s “Peritoneal Dialysis Community Care Program” sends a nurse into people’s home each night to connect them to a PD cycler. “I am now free to do anything I want during the day,” said one happy customer.
PD Keeps Business Student in School
09/15/2017
Gasping for air on the way to the hospital was a wake-up call for college student Nick LaHusen. His kidneys failed. But, the future video game business owner has been able to stay in school and get on the transplant list, thanks to PD.
Incremental Home HD
07/14/2017
A new case report of five patients starting incremental home HD finds that residual kidney function was preserved in some for more than 2 years. As residual function dropped, the dose of dialysis was increased.
Keep on Trucking
04/12/2017
In Adelaide, Australia a specially outfitted truck set up to offer dialysis at the Clare Caravan Park and give family members a break. Extra cabins let last-minute travelers op in for the change of scene.
Going Home at 75
04/12/2017
At age 75, Madam Chang Bee Ling’s choice of PD is unusual anyway—and even more so in Singapore, where only about 1 person in 8 does home dialysis. She did not want to burden her family or go to a clinic for HD. Now, she dialyzes at night and can still do her housework during the day.
Age is Just a Number When it Comes to Home Dialysis
03/09/2017
In Hong Kong, three out of four people who need dialysis opt for a home treatment! But, while the number is far less in Singapore, 75-year old Madam Chang Bee Ling is defying the odds. She chose PD when her kidneys failed 2 years ago to avoid burdening her children with the costs or hassle of in-center HD.
She Ain’t Heavy, She’s My Betty
02/08/2017
Life on PD doesn’t slow down Robert Baker. He just hoists “Heavy Betty”, his Liberty Cycler in the car and goes on his way.
Home, Home Dialysis on the Range
02/08/2017
Thanks to Baxter’s Amia PD cycler and a two-way telehealth set up, Joann can dialyze at her Nebraska ranch—80 miles from the nearest dialysis center. “It’s like a guardian angel looking over you. Peritoneal dialysis has given me my life back.”
Home Sweet Home
01/09/2017
Unable to live her life to the fullest, this UK mum learned about PD at home and completely changed her life. She found her “happy place”.
Bubber Wilkes is the Boss of His PD Machine
01/09/2017
Born with one kidney, W.E. “Bubber” Wilkes did just fine until an infection in his late 60s. But, he didn’t want to be hooked to a machine three times a week when his kidney failed, so his nephrologist suggested PD. A year later, he is working part-time (in “retirement”) and losing weight to prepare for a kidney transplant.
Empowered Dialysis in Texas
12/09/2016
In a program modeled after one in Sweden, Dr. Richard Gibney’s patients in Waco are empowering themselves through self-care in-center HD. The result? Dramatically lower rates of hospitalization and death than among the clinic’s standard in-center patients.
You Are the Sunshine of My Life
12/09/2016
With a NxStage machine, people like retired paramedic John Roberts get their lives back. The UK National Health Service even pays for John to take his machine along on sunny jaunts to Spain four times a year. Home dialysis costs less and allows Lister hospital in Stevenage to care for more people.
Make Sam Your Next Speaker!
11/10/2016
Now a transplant recipient with a kidney from his wife, Sam Trevino dedicates his life to educating his fellow patients about the benefits of home dialysis. (And, he’s a great speaker, we’ve heard him!)
More (Dialysis) IS Better
10/13/2016
Patients treated with extended-hours HD (average of 399 minutes) had a 33% lower adjusted risk of death than those who received conventional HD (211 minutes).
DIY Dialysis is Best!
10/13/2016
A recent study linked in-center self-care dialysis with fewer hospital days and lower death rates, and users spent more time on dialysis and missed fewer treatments. Establishing a facility-wide culture of care promoting patient engagement is critical to success of this option—which is a bridge to home HD.
It’s in the Stars...A Word of Warning.
09/14/2016
Carambola, or Star Fruit as it is commonly known, can be fatal for those with kidney failure and/or on dialysis.
Sweet Dreams at Satellite WellBound
09/14/2016
A Satellite Wellbound study showed that dialyzing at home every other night while sleeping gives patients a break from treatments, improves patients’ experiences, and contains costs.
Singing a New Tune in Branson.
08/09/2016
Dean Holman doesn’t miss a beat when it comes to music, and even ESRD can’t stop him from playing. While waiting for a possible transplant he will do PD at night.
Will a Pill a Day Keep Phosphorous At Bay?
08/09/2016
A new randomized study of 70 people on HD finds that low-dose niacin may reduce phosphorus levels much more than calcium carbonate alone. Talk to your doctor before taking any over-the-counter medicines or supplements.
Summer is Racing By with PD
07/12/2016
At just 5 years old, Summer Kansiray has been through the removal of both kidneys due to Wilms tumor and the failure of a kidney transplant. Now on PD at night, she is planning to run in a 10K race in Cardiff to help raise money for the Kidney Wales Foundation. Read her story.
20 Minutes VS 2 Hours!
05/12/2016
An Alabama woman says the greatest thing to happen since she started home dialysis is a pilot program that lets her attend her monthly dialysis clinic visit via telemedicine.
Home, Sweet Home.
05/12/2016
A Michigan clinic urges patients to stay active, stay positive, and when possible, choose a home treatment. Just ask Harold Calton!
Hair Salon Owner Harold Calton Finds Silver Lining in PD
04/12/2016
When PKD caused his kidneys to fail, Calton started standard in-center HD. But, within a few weeks, he switched to PD, and that has allowed him to keep his job—and keep up his tennis game!
Have Home Dialysis—Will Travel
04/12/2016
When his wife Colleen needed dialysis, Graeme Dunn thought they would have to sell their beloved camper van. Instead the RV has been their lifesaver. He built a trailer for her PD equipment, and off they went. Mobile = independence!
At Home on the Range
03/10/2016
Wyoming 30+ year dialyzor, Diana Pacheco, received the annual Pioneer in Excellence Award at the Annual Dialysis Conference in Seattle, recognizing her commitment to home hemodialysis (HHD) and her role as a patient advocate.
A Dream Come True
02/09/2016
Kaliann Briggs, a young Elmira, NY woman, spends 10 to 12 hours a day dialyzing in her room, so the non-profit ‘A Room to Heal’ spent 2 weeks renovating it from top to bottom. Briggs loves her new space, and plans to study for her community college courses there.
Hop On the Bus, Get an HD Treatment
02/09/2016
In its first year, a mobile dialysis bus visited holiday spots across Victoria, Australia and gave more than 300 dialysis patients and their families the freedom to travel.
Phosphate Troubles? New Pyramid Can Help
01/10/2016
Italian researchers have developed a 6-level pyramid of foods, from high to low phosphorous content to simplify your food choices.
Say YES to the Shingles Vaccine!
01/10/2016
People with ESRD are at a 72% higher risk of developing painful shingles. The shingles vaccine cut the rate in half compared to people who did not receive it, found a new study by Kaiser Permanente. Ask your doctor for the vaccine!
Cocoa Flavonols Heartwarming for Dialyzors.
01/10/2016
A recent study found that drinking a beverage with 900 mg of cocoa flavanols helped blood vessels dilate when they were supposed to. The researchers believe that a useful treatment may come out of this finding. NOTE: Talk to your doctor or dietitian before adding chocolate or cocoa to a dialysis-restricted diet.
Home HD Patient Got His Christmas Wish
01/10/2016
After more than 2600 dialysis treatments, Marvin Burney got his wish granted: to attend a major league baseball game in Pittsburgh.
Hi Ho, Hi Ho, it’s Off to Work They Go—Or Not
01/10/2016
The goal of the ESRD program in 1972 was to keep patients employed. But, with the growth of in-center dialysis—which is not conducive to employment—that hasn’t happened.
New Zealand Has a New Dialysis RV
12/10/2015
The Freedom Dialysis Campervan is a $120,000 RV outfitted with a dialysis machine for vacation travel, and paid for through fundraising by a local Lions club. It will be offered through a booking system at no charge, and a long-term dialyzor helped deliver it.
Texan Realtor Keeps Busy Despite Kidney Failure
12/10/2015
Austin Magruder has been on and off of dialysis since surviving meningitis in 1998, and still enjoys the outdoors and working full time with his real estate clients.
Ozarks Man Hopes to Hold New Dialysis Record
12/10/2015
Timothy Atkins has been on dialysis for 37 of his 57 years and is hoping he'll soon be in the Guinness Book of World Records for the longest time on dialysis. Guess which type he does!
Ian Can Work, Dine with His Family, and Take His Son to Tennis Now
11/11/2015
Derbyshire resident Ian Hazel started home HD shortly after his kidneys failed in 1999—but the 3-4 hours four or five days a week really ate into his family time. Now, nocturnal home HD makes his life work better.
“Untethered” home nocturnal HD freedom in Manitoba
10/15/2015
Mendel Schnitzer used to have to drive half an hour to his dialysis hospital, be there for 4-5 hours, and then go home exhausted. (Note: 4-5 hours is far more HD than the majority of Americans receive!). Now he is doing 36 hours of nocturnal HD a week using a NxStage System One, and even bringing it along to his family cottage on a lake. “This machine gave me longer life, better freedom, and almost a normal life,” he reports.
Full-time funds manager marketer makes time for dialysis
10/15/2015
Adelle McBeth’s kidneys started to fail when she was just 12 years old. Now awaiting a transplant at age 30, PD lets her keep her job—and her work keeps her sane.
Advocate celebrates 25 years on dialysis—and looks forward to the next 25
10/15/2015
Bill Peckham works full-time, travels the world, blogs, and volunteers to help fellow dialyzors (a term he coined), all while doing nocturnal home HD. The Northwest Kidney Centers helped him celebrate his dialysis anniversary by naming a conference room after him and including the machine he took down the Colorado river on a raft (donated by NxStage) in their museum.
Why PD Works for Jennifer Castillo
09/11/2015
After 20 years of standard in-center HD, Jennifer finds that with PD, she can eat more of the foods she likes, drink more fluids, and control her own schedule.
Manitoba Nocturnal Home HD Patient is Grateful for Utilities Help
09/11/2015
Canadian Jennifer Laferrier has been on dialysis for 18 years—more than half her life. Now, she says of home HD: “It is amazing. Being at home, dialyzing on my own schedule. And getting it done at night while I sleep means my days are free. The one fault? Your utility bills go up as it uses water and hydro.” Manitoba, where she lives, has decided to help home HD patients with their utility bills—leaving no downsides at all.
Do YOU or Your Patients Wake Up Refreshed After Dialysis?
09/11/2015
Frank Bailey does. The 75-year old wears pajamas under his clothes and heads to his treatments at Royal Jubilee Hospital’s nocturnal in-center HD program three nights a week. “After the four-hour one, I was feeling exhausted, no energy, nothing,” said Bailey. “…Now I can do anything when I come home.” The first program of its kind in Vancouver has 13 patients and a waiting list of 20 more.
“The Other Day I Shoveled Mulch for 2 Hours at Work.”
09/11/2015
Two months ago when he started dialysis, Satellite Dialysis patient and Sewage Plant Operator Eric Greenberg would have been knocked out by his tough work day. But, now, with home HD, he’s feeling great, up to the challenge, and hoping to be around when his 9 year old daughter gets married one day.
Tina’s Nocturnal Home HD Lets Her Be a Wife, Mom, and Partner
09/11/2015
When her kidneys failed at 25, Tina would sleep for 2 days after each standard in-center HD treatment. After a transplant that lasted a year, she began short daily home HD with NxStage—and, more recently, nocturnal home HD. See how great she feels now!
How to Get Free Admission to the Sept. 25-27 AAKP-HDU Meeting in Nashville
08/13/2015
Fill out this scholarship form to apply to waive the $150 fee! The deadline has been extended, and you can see the program here. Meet fellow patients, learn, and have fun.
Dale Calibaba continues his PD ride across Canada
08/09/2015
Dale received an exercise bike from the Shad Ireland Foundation, resolved to ride across Canada with his PD cycler on the back of his bike to raise awareness—and set off to do just that. You can track his progress here.
Satellite Offered Freedom to Lauren—and Changed Her Life
08/09/2015
After a diagnosis of kidney failure, diabetes, and a failed living donor transplant from her dad, Lauren felt like her life was over. But, with home HD, she says, “It’s like I’m Lauren again.” She goes to the beach, dates, plays billiards, and travels.
Canadian home dialysis couple starts charity to benefit others
07/08/2015
Even in Canada, the loss of an income and higher costs for water, gasoline for faraway clinic trips, water, and electricity can add up for home treatments. Jack and Earline Wilson decided to do something about that, after Jack’s kidneys unexpectedly failed.
“I want the world to see the face of a man thriving and truly living on dialysis”
07/08/2015
Marvin Burney’s wife posted a terrific message about his 2,500 dialysis treatments. Now on home HD, the couple has taken his machine to the mountains and the beach, and dialysis is a normal part of their lives.
Home dialysis user bikes across Canada to raise awareness
07/08/2015
Dale Calibaba is taking his PD on the road for 3 months to tell people about home dialysis and organ donation. He started in Newfoundland, and has now made his way to Ottawa.
Find out how Robby got back in the game
06/10/2015
In 2006, with a full-time teaching job, graduate school for a Master’s degree, and a social life to rebuild after a divorce, Robby Richardson had a lot on his plate before his kidneys failed. Fitting dialysis in was a challenge, and his health started to fail. In 2010, Robby started nocturnal home HD, and it changed his life.
Life on the Bridge…a Journey with Dialysis
06/10/2015
Dialysis is not “just” a bridge to transplant—it can also enable a full life. And, Judy Weintraub should know; she’s been dialyzing since 1975. Now, Judy has built a labor of love: a website that documents her story and offers resources to help professionals and fellow patients.
Home HD helps New Zealand man’s life work again
05/09/2015
Four months after Bill Veth lost his wife, his kidneys failed. He kept a full-time job while trying cycler PD and in-center HD (which forced him to live in hotel in a nearby town). Getting a home HD machine and having help from a visiting nurse lets him travel on the weekends to visit friends again.
View a slide show to see which home option makes Debbie’s life work
04/10/2015
IgA nephropathy may have stopped Debbie’s kidneys, but while she awaits a transplant, her life is going on—with APD.
What is needed to do home HD in India?
04/10/2015
With a 10x10’ room with attached bathroom and city water, home HD is possible—and it takes just 4 days to set up the machine and water treatment. Lata Lalwani, 69, dialyzes at home with her family’s help.
In-center self-care lets Colin keep his job
04/10/2015
In eastern England, in-center self-care training lets father of two and full-time health and safety manager, Colin, come to the clinic at the times that allow him to make his life work.
Don feels better at home and has his life back
04/10/2015
Switching from standard in-center to daily home HD gave Don back his energy and made his life work again. See his story.
Kidney failure doesn’t keep Maddy down!
03/11/2015
At 31, Maddy Warren leads a more adventurous life than most of us. She skydives, rides retired racehorses, and works full-time in HR at a global investment bank. Oh, yes—her kidneys failed at 14, and nephrotic syndrome attacked a transplant from her dad. So, she does nocturnal home HD.
Nocturnal In-center HD Lets Darlene Dialyze and Keep Her Job
01/08/2015
Diabetes and kidney failure didn’t keep Darlene from working—but standard in-center HD made for a long day and not much “me time.” Her Fresenius clinic in Michiana, IN offers in-center nocturnal, which turned out to be a much better fit.
Home HD restored Jan’s control—and kept her healthy for a transplant!
01/08/2015
Runner Jan Morrow was caught off guard by blood cancer and ESRD, and 2 years of standard in-center HD sapped her quality of life and made her miserable. But, daily home HD gave her back control and let her plan her own schedule.
Meet a college football player who is on dialysis
12/09/2014
Jeremy Ioane is a senior safety for the Boise State Broncos, and dad to a 2-year old son. This season, in six games he had 11 tackles and two interceptions—and he is doing PD, while he awaits a transplant.
Big Daddy’s Fun “Flavor of Bold” Football Food
10/07/2014
Fresenius Medical Care and celebrity chef Aaron McCargo of “Big Daddy’s House” bring you some tasty recipes for football season that maximize taste—and limit potassium and phosphorus. Try his salmon dip, jalapeno-lime turkey burgers, fall harvest orzo salad, and more!
Here’s a home treatment option you don’t hear much about!
09/05/2014
Peggy Moody, age 77, and her husband, Kenn, are the first couple from the Niagara Health System to use home HD—and they are doing 5-hour treatments three days a week, with a conventional machine. Even though Kenn is squeamish, he is cannulating Peggy, and they are making their lives work.
Print a 4-page guide on how to protect your lifeline, from Fistula First.
07/03/2014
In just one minute, you can look, listen to, and feel your fistula to be sure it’s doing well. Learn what to report to your care team. This also links to quick videos if you view it online.
After a year of in-center HD, Don was depressed. How did Google help?
07/03/2014
Don’s two passions were playing with his grandkids and riding his motorcycle—and he couldn’t do either with standard in-center HD. His quality of life was poor. Watch this video to see how Don’s life was transformed by short daily HD!
UK woman is first on dialysis to give birth to twins!
07/03/2014
Daily dialysis helped during pregnancy helped Sarah Pearce deliver a son AND a daughter. The babies were delivered 12 weeks early because one was not getting enough blood flow, and they are stable in the neonatal intensive care unit.
Find out what keeps Greg running
06/05/2014
Greg really likes to run, and even marathons were not long enough. He liked to do ultramarathons. So, when kidney cancer took first one and then both kidneys, he needed to find a treatment that would allow him to stay active. Watch this video to see which option he chose.
Meet Henning in a new NxStage video
05/06/2014
He's a blogger, world traveler, skier, and more. Born with spina bifida, it wasn't the wheelchair that made Henning feel disabled—it was standard in-center HD—and home HD gave him his life back.
See Canada do in-center nocturnal RIGHT—with beds & a 10-5 schedule
04/09/2014
In-center nocturnal HD is a great option—but in the US, it tends to be done from 8pm to 4am, which fits few patients' sleep schedules and requires people to leave the clinic when it is still dark outside. Watch this video to see how it can be done better! (Idea: Push the day shifts back!)
Which option gave this NZ man freedom and quality of life?
04/09/2014
"Nocturnal dialysis has definitely given me more freedom and a better quality of life," says Scott Smith, whose kidneys failed at age 25 due to Alport's Syndrome. Smith is now part of a committee that aims to give more freedom to others on home HD, by buying a camper van kitted out with a machine for travel.
Which treatment gave this auctioneer back his soul until he got a transplant?
04/09/2014
VA auctioneer Terry Russell has sold just about "the earth and everything in it." But, after arthritis medicines damaged his kidneys, standard hemodialysis treatments, "took everything out of my body but my soul." CAPD saved the day and helped Terry regain his health—and even get a long-awaited transplant.
Meet the oldest home HD-er in Canada
04/09/2014
Bob Milne, 90, has been doing conventional home HD three times a week with the help of his wife of 62 years, Ruth, for fifteen years now. "He never would have met our youngest grandchild" without the home treatment, notes Ruth.
Learn what was "Like Shark Tank on Groundhog Day on Fast Forward"!
04/09/2014
Patient advocate Robin Franzl lives in Washington State—and flew across the country to Washington D.C. to take part in a Dialysis Patient Citizen's advocacy day, talking to elected representatives about funding for kidney disease.
Patient-centered PD Program Grows 640%
03/07/2014
How do you go from five people on PD to 37 in just 2.5 years? Meet the needs of consumers by never saying no, being flexible, accommodating their schedules, and sharing success stories with other consumers. That's what a Renal Ventures team reported in a "Thriving on PD" poster session at the Annual Dialysis Conference.
Each One Teach One
03/07/2014
Consumers listen to each other more than they listen to healthcare providers—at least when it comes to the lifestyle impact of a dialysis treatment. NxStage has announced a new "NxStage Plus One" campaign to empower NxStage users to share their stories with at least one other person on dialysis, with rollout beginning during National Kidney Month.
Would Regionalized Training Lead to More Home Treatments?
03/07/2014
An editorial by long-term home dialysis advocate Chris Blagg, MD, suggests that not every clinic can effectively offer home dialysis—so it makes sense to concentrate efforts on the ones who have the staff and expertise to succeed.
A Concierge Service for Home Hemodialysis!
03/07/2014
Learning a new dialysis machine and the steps of a safe treatment is a challenge, even with training. Now, Fresenius consumers who use a 2008K@Home machine will have extra support to streamline their transition, set up plumbing and wiring for the machine, and get started at home.
Have dialysis—WILL travel!
02/06/2014
Travel is a passion for Illinois resident Dyana Shanahan, and she hasn't let kidney failure stop her. Since starting PD, she has traveled the US, explored Europe, and soon she will be off to Hawaii. Learn why and how she does it!
See How a Photojournalist Tells Her Own CKD Story
01/08/2014
Luna Coppola uses striking black and white photography to catalog her journey from CKD to PD to transplant.
Learn which treatment makes Ian Hazel's busy life possible.
12/10/2013
Just 41 years old, with a wife, a 6-year old son, and a full-time job as an IT specialist, even PD was too disruptive to fit in. After a failed transplant from his mom, Ian was approached to try nocturnal home HD—and it made all the difference. "I work, I'm active, I go on holiday," he says. "It has given me my life back."
How do Jack & Patty make home HD work for their family?
12/10/2013
Full-time dental hygienist Fresenius patient Jack Tomlin doesn't have to work third shift any more to fit in his dialysis. Now, with the help of his wife Patty, he does home HD every other day on a schedule that suits their lives. Doing home treatments gives them more family time together and more privacy, too.
New research suggests a heart benefit for this treatment option
12/10/2013
A new study presented at the Canadian Cardiovascular Congress found that arteries may stay healthier with long, overnight HD treatments. Even, gentle toxin removal may be the key to reducing the stress on the heart and blood vessels that leads to a 5-fold increase in heart disease among those doing standard HD.
In India, a type of home dialysis is gaining ground...
11/06/2013
HD is cheap in India, due to lots of low-cost labor. But, even with this plus, convenient PD is quickly becoming a more popular option, with growth in both manual and cycler PD.
One home treatment option beat the rest to improve heart function in a new study
11/06/2013
Cardiovascular function improves on overnight HD vs. standard in-center HD, a new Canadian study finds. While the inner, endothelial layer of heart cells tends to be impaired in those on standard HD, the overnight patients had function that was closer to normal.
In what way is home hemodialysis like cooking?
11/06/2013
"If you can read a recipe, you can do dialysis," notes Connie Anderson, from Northwest Kidney Centers. After 17 years with a kidney-pancreas transplant, Mike Goldberg's kidney failed. While he waits for a new one, he does five 5-hour NxStage treatments per week, using the dialysis time to bond with his wife and two teenaged children and catch up on episodes of Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
Go-getter Helen had kidney failure at age 92—5 years ago! What's her secret?
10/02/2013
Helen Conklin did standard in-center HD for three and half years—until she saw a nurse at her Fresenius clinic demonstrate PD. Now, she's successfully done cycler PD for a year and a half, and she loves to tell others about it. Helen lives alone, and calls herself a "poster child" for PD.
Learn what treatment gave Regina, 55, of Freeport IL, her life back
10/02/2013
Type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure caused Regina Green's kidneys to fail—but cycler PD lets her exercise and go to church with no restrictions. She's so excited about the option that she wants to tell others about it.