Story Posted: 2010-12-09
Dr. Joanne Kappel receives National Kidney Foundation Award
Dr. Joanne Kappel, current head of Nephrology at SPH, was awarded the Harold W. Ashenmil Award June 12th at the Kidney Foundation of Canadas annual conference in Toronto. Initiated to honor the outstanding service of Harold W. Ashenmil, the Foundation's Founding member, the award is presented to honor an individual volunteer who has provided outstanding service and rendered significant contributions to the Kidney Foundation.
Since 1996, Dr. Kappel has been a highly committed, respected and influential leader in initiatives and organizations dedicated to enhancing kidney care throughout Canada. She has played a prominent role in advising and guiding numerous collaborative kidney foundation initiatives, always in the interest of improving the quality of life of those living with kidney disease. Currently, she is Medical Advisor to the Saskatchewan Branch of The Kidney Foundation.
With the incidence of Kidney disease rising dramatically in Canada, Dr. Kappel became a strong advocate for targeted public education initiatives for the prevention of chronic kidney disease. She was appointed Chair of the Foundations CKD Screening Program Development Team in 2008. Committed to the early identification, referral, and management of people at risk for kidney disease, she has been instrumental in developing and launching unique targeted education and kidney screening programs in Canada. She also served diligently as the lead medical content reviewer for the comprehensive updating of The Foundations educational materials and programs, ensuring that reliable, current, and consistent information about kidney disease was available throughout the country.
Dr. Kappels compassion and understanding of the needs of all those living with kidney disease is exemplary. As her patients can attest, her actions demonstrate a dedication to excellence in kidney care, a personal commitment, and extraordinary ability to define and influence initiatives promising kidney health for all Canadians.
An estimated 2 million Canadians have kidney disease, or are at risk. Every day, an average of 14 Canadians learn that their kidneys have failed. In Saskatchewan there are over 1100 people on renal replacement therapy.
The Kidney Foundation of Canada is the national volunteer organization committed to reducing the burden of kidney disease through: funding and stimulating innovative research; providing education and support; promoting access to high quality healthcare; and increasing public awareness and commitment to advancing kidney health and organ donation.
--Submitted by the Kidney Foundation of Saskatchewan