National Kidney Charities
Kidney Care UK offers financial assistance to adults and children at any stage of treatment if kidney disease is having a serious impact on quality of life and they are struggling on a low income. Applications must be made on the application form and supported by a renal social worker or member of the renal team.
National Kidney Federation – The National Kidney Federation (NKF) are proud to be the largest kidney patient charity in the UK. Run by kidney patients, for kidney patients.
UK Kidney Association – The UKKA are the leading professional body for the UK renal community, dedicated to improving lives by supporting professionals in the delivery of kidney care and research. We have over 1,200 doctors, scientists and multi-professional team members. They aim to promote effective patient-centred multi-professional care to improve quality of life for people with kidney failure, their families and carers. Their focus is on the advancement of education in the area of renal disease and replacement therapy in the UK. They also fund and support multi-professional research into kidney disease and its management.
Local Kidney Patient Associations –They can support with grants and peer support. Not available in every area so please check with your local renal unit.
Holidays
Freedom Holiday – Freedom the Dialysis Holiday Specialists are the UK’s first and only travel company that specialises in arranging holiday dialysis for kidney patients. Can help with planning and arranging of Dialysis away from Base in the UK.
Global Dialysis is an independent resource for information about dialysis, dialysis centres, holiday dialysis and dialysis travel.
Benefit Advice
A lot of Utility Companies have their own charitable/ benevolent fund so it is worth asking whoever supplies your energy/ water if you need help.
Turn To Us has an extensive database of grants available based on age, abilities, health needs, employment history, location amongst others.
Citizen’s Advice Bureau are a free service available to assist with budgeting, debt, employment, benefits, tax, health, education, housing, family matters, communications, consumer affairs, travel, civil rights, immigration, and legal rights and responsibilities.
Ask Bill – Many households are currently facing rising bills due to people spending more time at home. We also know that people are searching for the most impactful things they can do to help with climate change. Bill knows that creating environmental value goes hand in hand with creating financial value for gas, energy, and water users. Bill’s got a simple goal: to make it as easy as possible to get support with money and help you live a sustainable life at home.
Wales
Popham Kidney Support – provides support to children, youths and adults with kidney disease and their families in Wales. As a charity, they can help improve you emotional, financial and physical wellbeing and improve your knowledge through education. They also campaign for better services for you.
Kidney Wales – Over the years Kidney Wales have contributed to mobility scooter purchases and rentals, provided food vouchers, bought white goods, covered the cost of a house deep clean, paid towards patients rent, covered the cost of car repairs, paid towards utility bills, bought a bed and much more via our financial assistance grants.
Other Organisations
The European Dialysis and Transplant Nurses Association / European Renal Care Association was established in 1971 to address the special needs of nurses and other professionals that treat patients suffering from renal failure. The Association has grown to become one of the most important forums in Europe for the exchange of information and experience for all members of the renal care team.
The Kidney Patient Guide provides information for renal patients, their partners and families, health care professionals and anyone else who is interested in kidney disease.
Kidney Research UK was founded in 1961 and is the leading UK charity dedicated to funding research aimed at finding better treatments, and ultimately a cure, for kidney disease. They have over £10.1million invested in research at any one time, awarding grants to doctors, nurses and researchers across the UK. They also award grants to kidney patients (although this is now administered by the BKPA). They operate a kidney health information service and have a range of web-based literature.
The American Association of Kidney Patients (AAKP) is a national non-profit organization founded by kidney patients for kidney patients. They strive to educate and improve the health and well-being of chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients, those on haemodialysis, peritoneal dialysis and transplant recipients.
The British Association of Social Workers (BASW) is the largest professional association for social work in the UK, with offices in England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales. They aim to promote the best possible social work services for all people who may need them, while also securing the well-being of social workers.
The National Kidney Foundation is an American organization. They are dedicated to preventing kidney and urinary tract diseases, improving the health and well-being of individuals and families affected by kidney disease and increasing the availability of all organs for transplantation.
The Polycystic Kidney Disease Charity, is the only charity in the UK dedicated to the concerns of people affected by Polycystic Kidney Disease. Their aims are to provide information, advice and support to those affected by PKD; to fund research into determining the causes of PKD, discovering treatments and a cure; and to raise awareness of PKD, providing information about PKD to patients, the public, the medical community and the media.
The British Transplant Games were inaugurated in 1978 in Portsmouth. They have grown to a 4 day annual event for over 600 competitors and nearly 1000 supporters.