Australians urged to take a two-minute test for kidney disease

Australians are being urged to test for a “silent condition” that kills more people each year than breast and prostate cancer.

It is one of Australia’s biggest killers and now millions of Australians are being urged to take a two-minute test that could help save lives – and $9.9 billion in taxes.

Nearly 66 Australians die every day with chronic kidney disease, a health problem labelled a “silent condition” because often there are no warning signs.

The disease kills more people each year than breast cancer, prostate cancer and even road traffic accidents, with the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) recording 17,700 deaths in 2020.

And the number of Australians receiving either dialysis or a kidney transplant has more than doubled between 2000 and 2020 from 11,700 to 27,702.

Shane Jeeves was a fit and active father-of-five before chronic kidney disease claimed his life within a year after becoming an ambassador for Kidney Health Australia.

Shane Jeeves was a fit and active father-of-five before chronic kidney disease claimed his life within a year.

Mr Jeeves passed away in 2020.

Mr Jeeves was diagnosed with early stage kidney disease when he was 39.

In 2019, it came as a shock to learn he had just 6 per cent kidney function and had to go on dialysis to stay alive.

Mr Jeeves died in 2020 from a kidney-related heart attack and his widow Jodie has stepped in to continue her husband’s work and legacy.

“With kidney disease, you really don’t know what’s going on under the surface,” Mrs Jeeves said.

“Shane was a fit and healthy person, heavily involved in sport, but we didn’t know that under it all, his kidneys were failing, probably for years.

“Early detection is so important because the earlier you find out, the more you can educate yourself and the better equipped you are to prolong your life and wellbeing.”

Shane Jeeves leaves behind five daughters.

The AIHW estimated one in 10 adults – or 1.8 million people – had biomedical signs of chronic kidney disease.

And while the majority of those people (97 per cent) showed signs of being in the earlier stages of the disease, it “remains a highly under-diagnosed condition”.

Peak body Kidney Health Australia is campaigning for people to get a health check in order to avoid kidney failure.

Jodie Jeeves said her husband wished he had known there were steps he could’ve taken to manage his diagnosis and slow the progression of the disease.

The online test can be taken anywhere and includes nine questions that help identify your risk of kidney disease and whether a follow-up appointment with your GP for a kidney health check is recommended.

“For the first time in 20 years, there are new treatments for kidney disease that can slow down the progression to kidney failure,” nephrologist and clinical director at Kidney Health Australia Dr Karen Dwyer said.

“Early detection has never been more important – we have a unique opportunity to change the future for so many Australians.”

Nephrologist and clinical director at Kidney Health Australia Dr Karen Dwyer and Kidney Health Australia’s chief executive officer Chris Forbes.

Chronic kidney disease is costing Australian taxpayers $9.9 billion every year, but government investment in early screening and diagnosis could help avoid 38,200 early deaths.

And for every dollar spent, $45 in costs is saved in the health system.

Kidney Health Week runs from May 21 to 27. You can find the online test here.

KIDNEY DISEASE

RISK FACTORS: Diabetes, high blood pressure, aged over 60 years, smoking, obesity and family history.

SYMPTOMS: Kidney disease often has no warning symptoms but some include change in appearance of your urine, blood in urine, muscle cramps, tiredness, puffiness in your legs, ankles or around your eyes, appetite loss and headaches.

CHECK: Complete Kidney Health Australia’s online test to identify kidney disease risk.