Alberta Advocate Pushes for Early Kidney Disease Testing

An advocate from Alberta is calling for early testing for chronic kidney disease as mortality rates rise across Canada. Sean Delaney, a lifelong kidney disease patient, credits timely testing and information with saving his life. Born in Red Deer, Delaney lost his left kidney at three months old. Before turning 27, he faced the alarming news that his remaining kidney was failing.

Delaney’s younger brother, Peter Delaney, became his first living donor, transforming Sean’s life. “It was a huge change,” he said, reflecting on how the transplant allowed him to witness his daughters complete their education and pursue a master’s degree shortly thereafter. He described the freedom to travel and live without limitations, despite the ongoing need for immunosuppressive medications to prevent organ rejection.

Unfortunately, Delaney’s first transplant failed in 2017. Following a year of dialysis, he received a second chance in 2020 when Brenda, a woman he had never met, learned of his story and volunteered to be his second living donor. “The most insidious part of kidney disease is that you often don’t know you have a problem until your kidney function drops to 20 percent,” he explained.

Living with chronic kidney disease for so long has given Delaney a keen sense of awareness about his health. He recognized warning signs such as fatigue and a metallic taste in his mouth, but he acknowledges that not everyone can identify these indicators in time. The Kidney Foundation Canada has labeled chronic kidney disease an “invisible killer” due to its increasing mortality rates.

According to Marcello Tonelli, a medical professor at the University of Calgary, the mortality rate from chronic kidney disease in Canada has surged by 70 percent since 1990. A collaborative study published in the medical journal The Lancet estimates that one in ten Canadians currently lives with some form of kidney disease. “This tells us that we are failing to detect kidney disease in its early stages,” Tonelli told CTV News.

The Kidney Foundation of Canada emphasizes that a simple blood or urine test can reveal warning signs of kidney disease. Carrie Thibodeau, a representative from the foundation, notes the importance of early intervention. She points out that rising mortality rates may stem from an aging population and related conditions such as diabetes and hypertension. “If we diagnose people earlier and intervene sooner, we can prevent them from needing dialysis or a transplant,” she stated.

Most individuals do not exhibit symptoms until kidney disease has progressed significantly, which highlights the critical need for early screening. Delaney, now 54 years old, understands this urgency personally. He recently completed a remarkable hike through parts of Portugal and Spain, covering nearly 200 kilometers. His first message upon completing the journey was to his second donor, Brenda: “We made it. Not ‘I made it,’” he emphasized. “Without my brother’s kidney and her kidney, I wouldn’t have been able to do this.”

As advocates like Delaney push for increased awareness and early testing, the conversation around chronic kidney disease becomes increasingly vital. The hope is that more lives can be saved through timely detection and intervention, transforming the landscape of kidney health in Canada and beyond.