Hot Topics in Kidney Health
Episodes
Navigating Kidney Cancer Treatment Side Effects: What to Expect
15 Apr 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Behind every kidney cancer diagnosis is a person navigating difficult decisions about treatment and care. Today, we’re diving into how to navigate t...
Hyperphosphatemia: What Kidney Patients Need to Know
24 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Join us for the discussion on the treatment and management of hyperphosphatemia or high phosphorus levels in the blood, a common challenge experienced...
Diversity in Clinical Trials
13 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
For people living with kidney disease, clinical trials can offer hope—but not without questions or concerns. Today, we talk with Dr. Nadine Barrett,...
A Conversation with Xenotransplantation Experts
25 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Last time we talked about kidney xenotransplantation, we were joined by Towana Loony and Tim Andrews, who shared their personal experiences with recei...
"I Had a Xenotransplant."
10 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
History is often made through science, but it is lived through people. Today, only four living people in the US have received a xenotransplant or a tr...
Transplant Medications
16 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
A recent online survey of more than 10,000 transplant recipients across the U.S. and Canada found that ninety-two percent had side effects from their ...
Mental Health and Kidney Disease
05 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
When it comes to kidney health, taking care of your mind is just as important as taking care of your body. Today, we’re exploring how mental health ...
EnROUTE Study: Dialysis Transportation
06 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What does it mean to design a study with patients, not just for them, and why does that shift matter for kidney care outcomes? Dr. Na'mah, ...
Vaccines: What Kidney Patients Need to Know
13 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
According to a 2024 World Health Organization study, over the last 50 years vaccines have saved over 154 million lives worldwide from over 20 life thr...
How to Treat and Prevent Kidney Stones
26 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Discover expert insights on kidney stone prevention and management in this podcast episode featuring a physician, dietitian, pharmacist, and patient. ...
Shared Decision Making in Atypical Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome
19 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This NKF Live crossover episode features a discussion on shared decision making on medical treatment options for people with atypical hemolytic uremic...
GLP-1 Medications and Kidney Disease
03 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
GLP-1 medications like Ozempic were designed to treat diabetes—but they’re quickly becoming known for weight loss and possible kidney benefits. Ki...
Fixing Transplant Delays Caused by Race-Based eGFR
04 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Imagine you’ve been on the kidney transplant waitlist for years, hoping for a second chance at life. Then, one day, you find out that your estimated...
Post Transplant Health: Skin Cancer
17 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Did you know that people who have received a kidney transplant are at a much higher risk for skin cancer? We sat down with experts to discuss how you ...
High Potassium and Kidney Disease
17 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Potassium is an essential mineral, but it is important to make sure you have the right amount. Tune in and hear from experts on how high potassium (hy...
Finding Community As An LGBTQ+ Patient
12 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What does feeling truly seen and supported mean in your health care? For many LGBTQIA+ people with kidney disease, the answer isn’t simple. Jess W...
A Legacy of Hope with Maura Casey
28 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In a time when the hope of surviving kidney failure was rare, one family refused to give up. Pulitzer prize winning journalist, Maura Casey recounts h...
Peer Support for Care Partners
16 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Care partners—whether family, friends, or close loved ones—are the quiet champions who help manage medications, attend appointments, offer emotion...
Donate Life Month: Three kidney donors, one powerful conversation
29 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In celebration of Donate Life month, we are sharing a special crossover episode from NKF’s Life as a Nephrology Professional podcast. Tune in and he...
KidneyCare Study: One Year Update
26 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Did you know that patient registries play a vital role in improving kidney disease treatment and outcomes? In this episode, we’re diving into the Ki...
Life on Dialysis: A Patient's Perspective
14 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Most people who go to in center hemodialysis require lifestyle adjustments to help them get the most out of their treatment while enjoying life. In th...
Pets and CKD
28 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
There's a common misconception that people on home dialysis can't have pets. But that's just a myth. Professor Cameron Wolfe, a transplant infectious ...
Conservative Care for Kidney Patients
07 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In today’s episode, we're finishing up our series on kidney failure treatment options with a discussion on conservative care. What exactly is conser...
High Phosphorus and CKD: Finding the Balance
24 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
High phosphorus (hyperphosphatemia) is a common complication caused by chronic kidney disease. Join us for this NKF Live to learn more about why this ...
Altruistic Kidney Donation: Why strangers donate kidneys
10 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Nearly 90,000 people are waiting for a kidney transplant but there are not enough kidneys to meet this need. Altruistic kidney donors, or those who gi...
Cannabis & Kidney Disease: Is it OK to be high?
19 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Cannabis or marijuana is becoming increasingly more popular in the United States for recreational and medical use. What is cannabis? Are there benefit...
What is Peritoneal Dialysis?
04 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Because of medical advances, kidney failure is no longer a death sentence. Today, those with kidney failure have treatment options like dialysis and k...
Kidney Disease and the Holiday Season (REPOST)
15 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Holidays can be difficult for individuals with CKD. Tune in to gain insight into the patient holiday experience and how professional teams can provide...
Preemptive Transplantation for Kidney Patients
08 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Getting a kidney transplant before starting dialysis or with little time spent on dialysis is a preferred form of kidney failure treatment. Despite th...
Your Vote Matters: What People with CKD Need to Know Before They Vote
17 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Voting is a powerful way to influence the policies that impact your life. By participating in elections and advocating for change, you can help shape ...
Preparing for Emergencies as a Kidney Patient
23 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Natural disasters like earthquakes, floods, or electrical power blackouts can disrupt crucial healthcare services, like dialysis treatment. The good n...
Treatment Options for Kidney Patients: Home Hemodialysis
10 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Today, those with kidney failure have multiple treatment options like dialysis and kidney transplants; however, many aren't aware of treatments like h...
Understanding Your Lab Values
16 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Living with chronic kidney disease can feel like learning a new language. There are many tests, and the results may leave you scratching your head. To...
Xenotransplantation: Updates on Animal-to-Human Transplants
31 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On today's special episode of Hot Topics and Kidney Health we're sharing audio from a recent webinar hosted by National Kidney Foundation on kidney xe...
Research Spotlight: Reporting and Management of Hemodialysis Symptoms
15 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
For people with kidney failure, hemodialysis is a life saving treatment. On average, people can live for 5 to 10 years on dialysis, but many have live...
Gender Diversity & Kidney Care
10 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The most commonly used equation that determines someone’s kidney function includes a binary male-female sex coefficient. But what does this mean for...
Pride in Practice: Empowering LGBTQIA+ Communities in Kidney Health
26 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Empowering the LGBTQIA+ community is important during Pride Month and beyond. Today we're speaking with Brian Sims, Living donor and former PA State R...
Unfiltered Story: Next steps after losing a transplant
28 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Losing a kidney transplant can feel very overwhelming. Today we're here with Anthony Tuggle, a former NKF board member, to hear how he's coping with l...
Coping with Losing a Transplant
14 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Everyone loves to talk about kidney transplant success stories but rarely do we talk about what happens if a transplant fails. On today's episode Dori...
Artificial Kidneys
17 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
When will the artificial kidney be ready for human use? Learn more about the progress of the artificial kidney and how it will affect someone's qualit...
What is a high KDPI kidney?
13 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
When a kidney from a deceased donor becomes available, it is scored on a system called the Kidney Donor Profile Index (KDPI). How does the KDPI work a...
Fad diets and kidney diets
25 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
It’s hard to keep up with all the new diets that cycle through news outlets and social media. Do you know which ones are right for you and your kidn...
BONUS: kidney disease and the holiday season
13 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Holidays can be difficult for individuals with CKD. Tune in to gain insight into the patient holiday experience and how professional teams can provide...
Art and music therapy for kidney patients
06 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Coping with kidney disease and dialysis can be difficult. Sometimes you have to think outside the box! Have you considered music or art therapy? Today...
Superfoods for patients with kidney disease
16 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
You may have heard the buzzword superfoods but what are they and do they have special qualities? Board-certified renal dietitian, Jen Hernadez is here...
What do clinical end points and trials mean for CKD research?
23 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Clinical trials exist to help prevent, screen for, diagnose, or treat diseases and other health problems. Without them, we would not have new treatmen...
Mindfulness meditation for kidney patients
29 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
You may have heard the term mindfulness before but what does it mean, what are the benefits, and how can you integrate mindfulness into your life? On ...
Transplants for All
11 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
At the National Kidney Foundation, we believe that everyone who needs a kidney should get a kidney. To make this dream a reality, we’ve launched the...
Sexuality and kidney disease
18 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Sexual dysfunction (SD) is incredibly common in patients with kidney disease. In today's special cross over episode from Kidney Commute, you'll hear w...
LGBTQ+ Advocacy in Healthcare
20 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Over 50% of LGBTQIA-plus people have experienced some form of healthcare discrimination and over 25% of transgender people reported being denied care ...
NKF Innovation Fund: developing new treatments for kidney patients
08 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
For far too long treatments for CKD haven’t changed. Launched in 2021, the NKF Innovation Fund works to accelerate funding, and development of thera...
Living donors and mental health
30 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Donating a kidney is one of the most selfless gifts one person can give to another. But what is that experience like for the donor before and after th...
Laughter therapy for kidney patients
22 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Is laughter really the best medicine? On today’s episode we’ll discuss an exciting new coping strategy for dialysis patients called guided group l...
BMI and weight management for kidney patients and living donors
16 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Obesity is one of the major risk factors for developing kidney disease, which is measured through the body mass index or BMI. This measurement factors...
Access to reproductive care for kidney patients
18 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In 2022, the US Supreme Court overturned precedent established by Roe v Wade, eliminating the constitutional right to abortion. Family planning decisi...
Game Changers: Treating CKD earlier
15 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Did you know that 40% of chronic kidney disease progression may be preventable with earlier diagnosis and treatment? On this episode, you will hear th...
Managing fluid intake as a CKD patient
08 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
It is important that certain individuals with CKD limit their fluid intake, but many don’t understand why or where to begin. On today’s episode, w...
Exercise and bone health: what CKD patients should know
08 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Keeping your body and bones strong are important when you have kidney disease. Do you know what types of exercise are good for kidney patients? What a...
Treatment options for undocumented people with kidney disease
23 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Undocumented people face increased barriers to accessing health coverage and care, including treatment for kidney disease. In this episode, our guest...
Las opciones de tratamiento para las personas indocumentadas con enfermedad renal
16 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Las personas indocumentadas enfrentan bastantes barreras para acceder cobertura y atención médica, incluyendo el tratamiento para la enfermedad rena...
Flu Vaccine: What Kidney Patients Need to Know in 2022
27 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
As a kidney patient or a transplant recipient, you probably know that getting a flu shot can offer the best protection from a serious disease. But s...
Breaking Down New Medicare Coverage for Immunosuppressant Drugs
21 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The Medicare coverage for immunosuppressive drugs for kidney transplant patients has recently been expanded. But what does this new benefit cover and ...
Should You Follow A Special Diet After Transplant?
14 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
After a kidney transplant, your diet still plays a big role. Do you know which foods to avoid or how your transplant medications affect what you can e...
How potassium affects kidney patients
12 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
One of the jobs your kidneys is to manage your body’s levels of potassium, which keeps your heartbeat regular and your muscles working right. Many k...
How kidney patients should protect themselves from COVID-19 in 2022
27 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
While many people feel like the world is headed back to normal, many kidney patients can feel left behind. COVID-19 is still top of mind for those who...
What is basic science research and why is it important?
05 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
When we hear the word research, most of us think of innovative breakthrough treatments and technologies. But applied clinical research could not be po...
Working with your clinician to make shared decisions for your care
03 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Shared decision making can play a vital role in the treatment of kidney disease. When physicians involve patients in their care, they may be able to h...
How kidney disease affects your mental health
27 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
People with chronic conditions like kidney disease face mental health struggles such as depression or anxiety. In many kidney patients those challenge...
Tips for finding a living donor
29 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
If you are in need of a kidney transplant, finding a living donor can sound scary and overwhelming. Where should you start and what’s the best way t...
Pig kidneys in humans? Xenotransplantation explained.
22 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
From the invention of the dialysis machine to the first successful kidney transplant, science has come a long way in extending life for kidney patient...
Deciding to become a living donor
14 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Many potential living organ donors have questions, such as what does the journey look like, and how do you know if you are eligible to donate? If you ...
BONUS: New study looks at APOL1 gene: do you have it?
31 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Some diseases run in the family, when more than one person has the same kind of illness passed down through genes. One of those genes, called APOL1, h...
Pregnancy and kidney disease
02 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Pregnancy can be an exciting time for most people, but what does it look like if you are a kidney patient? What does pregnancy look like if they have ...
What are SGLT2 Inhibitors and are they the right drug for you?
20 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
You might have heard about drugs called SGLT2 inhibitors used in treatment of kidney disease, but, just like many other kidney patients, you might not...
How much sodium is safe for kidney patients?
23 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Most patients on dialysis need to limit the amount of sodium in their diets. But how much sodium is safe and what are some ways to add flavor to your ...
What do changes to eGFR calculation mean for patients?
16 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
As a kidney patient, you most likely know your estimated glomerular filtration rate, or eGFR, and that it’s a way to check how well your kidneys are...
BONUS: Coping with pediatric kidney disease
29 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Nearly 10,000 children in the country are diagnosed with kidney failure and require either dialysis or a kidney transplant to stay alive. What does a ...
Tips for overcoming financial hardship
20 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Many kidney disease patients often face financial hardships, such as having to leave a job or struggling to pay for medications. Applying for or maint...
How to become an advocate for kidney health
17 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Over the past year, NKF advocates have won a number of policy campaigns both in Congress and state capitals across the country. While these victories ...
BONUS: Systemic Lupus and Lupus Nephritis
10 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
This bonus episode features a conversation about lupus nephritis between rheumatologist Dr. Irene Blanco and Shanika Chuying, a person living with the...
Delta variant and COVID-19 booster shots
30 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
A major worry for many people right now is the Delta variant, a highly contagious strain of COVID-19 which is making headlines across the United State...
Plant-based diets: Can they work for kidney patients?
29 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Today’s hot topic is plant-based diets. For some kidney patients, eating more plant-based foods may help prevent and slow the progression of chronic...
Creating an inclusive and affirming environment for LGBTQ+ kidney patients
18 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
For many in the LGBTQ+ community, fear of discrimination and harassment can get in the way of seeking medical care when they are sick and can put them...
What the new CDC masking guidance means for kidney patients
14 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The CDC's new masking guidance says fully vaccinated people do not have to wear masks, but does that include kidney patients? Are people who are immun...
Coping with depression & anxiety during a global pandemic
28 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Depression and anxiety affect many Americans but they are especially common in those with chronic illness like kidney disease. How has depression and/...
New way to get involved in research
18 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, we talk about the NKF Patient Network, an online registry for kidney patients at any stage of kidney disease. This network is an exci...
Is mobile health the way of the future?
18 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In the COVID era, telehealth has become a suddenly normal part of our lives. How is this impacting kidney patients and what implications does it have ...
The latest in COVID-19 vaccines for kidney patients
18 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Many people are facing pandemic fatigue, but thanks to the COVID-19 vaccine the "new normal" may be right around the corner. We sat down during a rece...