Fifercial

I’m a transplant patient and take various tablets that i have to take at certain times. I use the alarm function on my Apple watch.

Infographic stating that 91% of UK adults incorrectly believed that a transplant or dialysis are the only treatments for kidney disease, set against a fuchsia and purple background.

A statistic that must change

In a 2022 survey of 2,000 UK adults, 91% incorrectly believed that dialysis or a transplant are cures for kidney disease

Neither are a cure, but there is hope. We will not stop fighting to transform treatments and push research forward so transplants can last longer

Close up of a patient's arm doing a 'blood draw'. Tubes and plasters are visible along the arm.

Do you, or does someone you know, need a kidney transplant?

This new research project from Dr Katrina Spensley might be of interest to you 👇

www.kidneyresearchuk.org/2025/03/25/c...

Infographic reading: As the leading charity dedicated to kidney disease research in the UK, we work closely with patients, clinicians, and researchers to improve outcomes for those affected. CKD affects an estimated 7.2 million people in the UK – many of whom are unaware they have it. With cases rising, it is crucial that public awareness is based on fact, not fiction. While we welcome the increased visibility of kidney disease on prime-time television, and the need for drama in any good storyline, we are concerned that some recent plots have misrepresented key aspects of these conditions, contributing to fear, misinformation, and misunderstanding. With millions of people tuning into the drama each week, through accurate portrayals, there is a distinct opportunity to change the story for the millions of people CKD affects. The current storyline in Emmerdale, where Joe Tate orchestrates a stabbing and kidnapping to secure an illegal kidney transplant, is particularly concerning.

Letter continued: The portrayal of theft of organs as a viable option is implausible, illegal and dangerous. Organ trafficking is a serious criminal offence, and any individual involved in such an act would face severe legal consequences. The storyline risks undermining public confidence in the transplant system at a time when we desperately need more people to consider living kidney donation. It is also a missed opportunity to spread positive awareness when six people in the UK die every week waiting for a kidney transplant. We cannot support storylines that could negatively impact efforts to increase the availability of organs for transplant. Similarly, while we were pleased that Coronation Street initially sought medical input for a kidney transplant storyline, we were disappointed that key aspects of real-world transplantation - such as the extensive compatibility testing, waiting times, and emotional complexities of the process - were sidelined for dramatic effect.

Letter continued: This has caused frustration within the kidney patient community, many of whom face years of uncertainty, life-limiting dialysis treatment and complex medical procedures before receiving a transplant. We do, however, want to acknowledge more considered portrayals, such as EastEnders’ ongoing storyline about Nugget Gulati recovering after acute kidney injury, which did reflect some of the realities of dialysis and its impact on daily life. To support greater accuracy in future storylines, we would like to extend an offer to connect your writing and production teams with medical experts, researchers, and real kidney patients who can provide first-hand insight into the complexities of living with kidney disease. We believe that with better consultation, soaps can deliver compelling, emotional storylines without sacrificing medical realism or reinforcing harmful misconceptions and at the same time, challenge misunderstandings held by the UK population about kidney disease.

Final page of the letter: Soap operas have come a long way in recognising the importance of sensitive and accurate portrayals of events that affect a character’s mental health, and it is time the same approach applied to devastating conditions like kidney disease. We would welcome the opportunity to discuss this further and explore how we can work together to ensure kidney disease is portrayed responsibly and sensitively. Please do not hesitate to contact us if you would like to arrange a meeting or receive further information. We appreciate your consideration and look forward to hearing from you. Yours sincerely Lucy Sreeves Executive director, Kidney Research UK

We have written to the producers of #Emmerdale, #CoronationStreet, and #EastEnders to acknowledge the growing visibility of #CKD in their storylines.

While soaps have the power to change public understanding, we are concerned about misleading portrayals 👇

www.kidneyresearchuk.org/2025/03/27/g...

Our team we go to see is Fife Flyers, the oldest Ice Hockey Team in the UK. I even joked that I was going to get my Transplant in the off season 😂😂 and yes I did 9 years ago this April.

Ice Hockey UK, EIHL, NIHL. There’s not enough coverage of it in the UK 🏒🏒

Kidney Care UK promotional graphic highlighting the #BloodyAmazingKidneys Campaign. The background features a large red kidney graphic on a black background. The text over the top of this says: "Every week, millions tune in to watch soap operas and dramas on TV, and with that comes a responsibility for writers to tell stories accurately. Awareness of kidney disease is not where it should be. We must take every opportunity to elevate its visibility and shed light on the realities of living with a condition that affects 1 in 10 people and has no cure." There is further text at the bottom which reads: "Support Kidney Care UK's #BloodyAmazingKidneys campaign"

Sparking conversations about #BloodyAmazingKidneys in light of recent TV drama. Get informed about your kidneys here: kidneycareuk.org/news-from-ki... and take a FREE Kidney Health Check: kidneycareuk.org/kidney-healt...

Note: there is no benefit to completing the Checker if you already have CKD

@delf1744.bsky.social 👋👋

@theseaquill.bsky.social 👋👋