After about 18 months of raising funds and awareness, St. Paul’s Hospital Foundation’s ‘By your Side Kidney Care Campaign’ has finally wrapped up after exceeding its original fundraising goal.

The Foundation’s CEO, Lecina Hicke, says thanks to the generous donations of the community, the team has raised $10,210,000, some of which has already been put to good use on kidney disease prevention efforts.

“Since 2023, we’ve been working with communities at a higher risk of getting kidney disease with the identification and prevention of kidney disease, so keeping kidneys healthy longer.”

Hicke says that money has also ensured that the dialysis unit has been able to keep running full throttle, as it is currently operating at 100 per cent capacity.

“That program has actually been operationalized permanently by the St. Paul’s Hospital,” with this funding, as well.

The money has also established front door attendants to guide patients from the entrance to their unit, and opening next year will be a Kidney Health and Education Centre and Transition Program.

There, Hicke says patients will have the opportunity to have one-on-one conversation with an interdisciplinary team that is mindful of patients’ circumstances.

Donations were collected from community members and philanthropic donors, including the Wyant family, who gifted the campaign $500,000 in honour of Dr. Gordon Wyant, an original member of Saskatchewan’s kidney transplant team.