30 Days to Happy Kidney

Note: This is a PSA(Public Service Announcement), am doing this for the hope of better community. 


Sunway Medical Centre (SMC) today kicked off the 30 Days to Happy Kidneys campaign in collaboration with the National Kidney Foundation of Malaysia (NKF). The campaign, held in conjunction with SunMed's World Diabetes Day celebration this year themed Eliminate Diabetes with the following objectives

Campaign Objective

1. Seeks to increase awareness on caring for the kidneys

2. Reduce the incidence of diabetes,

3.To raise funds to benefit NKF.

(2nd from left) 30 Days to Happy Kidneys campaign organising chairperson Nadiah Wan,

 SMC Acting Chief Executive Officer Choo Voon Chee,

 NKF vice chairman and SMC consultant nephrologist Dr Thiruventhiran Thilaganathan,&

 NKF Head of Branding and Communications Department S. Shobana

Photo and photo caption credit to EFY

SMC is an abbreviation for Sunday Medical center. 

NKF is a short for National Kidney Foundation Malaysia

There are still over 5,000 new kidney failure cases diagnosed every year. This is further compounded by the rise in diabetes patients and the huge number of undiagnosed diabetics – as many as 50%*, as many diabetics end up with kidney failure.

60% of kidney failure patients in Malaysia are diabetic (one of the highest ratios in the world.) This motivates us to continue pushing for greater awareness on diabetes and kidney disease risks, and also to raise funds to help NKF continue their good work,” said Choo Voon Chee, Acting Chief Executive Officer, Sunway Medical Centre. during the launch of the 30 Days to Healthy Kidneys campaign. 

Dr Thiruventhiran, Vice President of NKF(National Kidney Foudation) said, In Malaysia, new kidney failure patients are mainly aged from 50 to 65 years and diabetic with high blood pressure and high cholesterol. This reflects poor management of chronic diseases like diabetes and high blood pressure, as it generally takes 10 to 20 years of uncontrolled diabetes or high blood pressure to damage the kidneys irreversibly.As much as kidney transplant is the preferred treatment to overcome kidney failure, the number of kidney donor in Malaysia is only about 60 in a year. 

Expensive treatment for the needed.

Nearly 60% of NKF patients are extremely poor with household disposable income of less than RM800 per month. In 2015 alone, NKF needs to replace

-4 unit of reverse osmosis water treatment systems priced RM120,000 each

-10 units dialysis machines costing RM45,000 each

-20 units of other dialysis-related machines such as dialyser reprocessors or artificial kidney machines costing RM32,000 each.

Just counted, it would be RM 1570K spenting on the machine alone. Not sure this include maintenance of the machine or not.

Some related facts.

 1. A kidney patient is required to undergo 3 dialysis sessions every week for life, unless they are able to undergo a kidney transplant.

2. NKF helps over 1,600 patients annually and spends close to RM15 million a year subsidising dialysis,

3. The total operational costs are approximately RM30 million a year, including

a. Running 27 centres nationwide

b. Expenses for public education programmes

c. Welfare contributions for hardcore poor patients and their children

d.Professional training for personnel

e.Transportation for patients

f. Replacement of equipment. 

The 30 Days to Happy Kidneys campaign and NKF

In order to raise funds and create awarenessThe 30 Days to Happy Kidneys campaign has been launch, aims to get Malaysians to take better care of their kidneys by taking up the 30 Days to Happy Kidneys Challenge. 

The challenge features a 30-day calendar with a different daily activity that guide people to learn about kidney health and adopt kidney-healthy practices.

30 Days to Happy Kidneys Challenge pledge card incorporating the calendar.

 The calendars are also being sold to raise funds for the NKF. Anyone who donates a sum of RM11 and above will receive one 30 Days to Happy Kidneys Challenge pledge card incorporating the calendar. Each card will have a unique serial number. The fundraising campaign will take place from 12 October 2015 until 17 January 2016. At the end of the fundraising period, Sunway Medical Centre will also make a donation to NKF matching the amount of funds raised from the public. 

How to donate and get your pledge cards

The pledge cards are available for donors at Sunway Medical Centre and during the following World Diabetes Day roadshows by Sunway Medical Centre. You can also get free health screenings, play interactive games and get attractive freebies at the roadshows:

·        Menara Sunway, Bandar Sunway on 27 to 29 October 2015 (Tuesday to Thursday)

·        Blue Concourse, Sunway Pyramid on 13 to 15 November 2015 (Friday to Sunday)

For the convenience of the public, you can also donate online at here.  You will receive a pledge card with a unique serial number through email within 3 days. Remember to select Other Amounts on the web form for a donation of RM11!

Also, in order to spice up the campaign, there is a contest until 15 Nov 2015.It's already less than 30 days  to follow everything, but who knows, you word will inspired someone in the corner~~  

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National Kidney Foundation of Malaysia

The National Kidney Foundation (NKF) of Malaysia is a non-profit charitable organisation dedicated to helping Malaysians suffering from end stage kidney failure who lack access to or cannot afford dialysis treatment. NKF currently has over 1,500 dialysis patients receiving subsidised dialysis treatment in over 27 dialysis centres nationwide. For more information, please visit www.nkf.org.my

Note: This is a PSA(Public Service Announcement), am doing this for the hope of better community.