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Kidney Failure​

Are You At Risk? Checklist

Take the first step to kidney health by finding out if you have risk factors for kidney disease!

Qn 1 of 6

Are you obese?

Obesity significantly increases the risk of developing diabetes and hypertension, the two leading causes of kidney failure. According to the Health Promotion Board (HPB), having a BMI of 23kg/m2 and above puts you at moderate risk of being obese. Maintain a healthy weight to minimise your risk of kidney failure.

Qn 2 of 6

Are you diabetic?

Almost half of the diabetics in Singapore are unaware of their condition, which is dangerous as uncontrolled diabetes can damage the blood vessels of the kidney and destroy its filters. Singapore has the highest rate of kidney failure caused by diabetes in the world. Early detection through health screening is of utmost importance as pre-diabetes can be reversed by making changes to your lifestyle.

Being diabetic does not mean that you will develop kidney failure. As long as you manage your blood sugar levels, keep your blood pressure in the normal range and take your medication as prescribed, you can safeguard the health of your kidneys.

Qn 3 of 6

Do you have hypertension?

Hypertension is the second leading cause of kidney failure in Singapore. In fact, one in four Singaporean adults have high blood pressure. Unfortunately, ageing naturally elevates your blood pressure. While there is no turning back the clock, regular checks on your blood pressure and proper management of the condition can decrease your risk of developing kidney failure.

Similar to diabetes, uncontrolled hypertension can progress quickly to kidney failure. In fact, most people experience few to no symptoms at all until the damage to their kidneys are extensive.

Qn 4 of 6

Do you smoke?

On top of cancer and heart disease, smoking is also linked to diabetes, hypertension and other potent risk factors of kidney diseases. Smoking affects the blood flow to the nephrons in kidneys, which perform the essential task of filtering wastes from your blood. Damage to the nephrons are irreversible and may result in kidney failure over time.

Qn 5 of 6

Do you take NSAIDS often?

Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDS) like painkillers such as Ibuprofen, Naproxen and Aspirin may be readily available over the counter but they can damage your kidneys if taken excessively. Some people have the misconception that NSAIDS are safe to be taken in large dosages regularly as they do not require a prescription. It is important to know that NSAIDS are not completely without risk and should be consumed carefully, especially for those who already have decreased kidney function.

People who already have reduced kidney function, heart disease or hypertension should consult a doctor before taking NSAIDS as they could increase the risk of kidney diseases. If you have been a regular or heavy user of NSAIDS and suffer from the above-mentioned conditions, you can take a blood or urine test to check if they have affected the functioning of your kidneys.

Qn 6 of 6

Does your family have a history of kidney disease?

Kidney disease may be inherited. If your family has a history of kidney disease, take preventive measures by going for health screenings regularly. A simple urine test can identify if protein is leaking into your urine, which is an indication of an impaired kidney. A blood test can be done to check a patient’s creatinine level, from which the estimated Glomerular Filtration Rate (eGFR) can be calculated to indicate how well your kidneys are working to remove wastes from your blood.

Qn 6 of 6

Does your family have a history of kidney disease?

Kidney disease may be inherited. If your family has a history of kidney disease, take preventive measures by going for health screenings regularly. A simple urine test can identify if protein is leaking into your urine, which is an indication of an impaired kidney. A blood test can be done to check a patient’s creatinine level, from which the estimated Glomerular Filtration Rate (eGFR) can be calculated to indicate how well your kidneys are working to remove wastes from your blood.

You score 0 out of 6!

You have none of the common risk factors for developing chronic kidney disease. Continue to maintain a healthy lifestyle with these 5 simple tips!

  • Shake the salt habit
  • Toss the sugar habit
  • Actively keep fit
  • Regularly drink water
  • Track your health levels

You score 1 out of 6!

You may have one or more of the risk factors for developing chronic kidney disease. Look out for warning signs and symptoms of kidney disease, which may go unnoticed as kidney disease is often called a silent killer.

If you are:

Are between the ages of 21 to 80 years

Meet ANY ONE of the following criteria:

    • Has family history of kidney disease, diabetes, or hypertension
    • Are known to have diabetes, hypertension, or heart disease*
      *Includes conditions such as heart attack, heart failure, valve disease, stroke and blood vessel/vascular disease
    • Has BMI ≥ 27.5kg/m2

 Have not done any kidney screening in the past 1 year

You may visit partnering GPs to receive a free kidney screening!

Watch your waistline

Successful weight management is a lifestyle choice. Weight loss occurs when you burn more calories than you consume. Be careful of products that are marketed as fat-free – they may be high in sugar or sodium.

Learn about the types of fats in your food.

Click here to learn more.

 

Don’t let diabetes sneak up on you

Being diabetic does not mean that you will develop kidney failure. As long as you manage your blood sugar levels, keep your blood pressure in the normal range and take your medication as prescribed, you can safeguard the health of your kidneys.

Here are tips on how you can kick your sugar habit!

Ease the pressure on your kidneys

While there is no turning back the clock, regular checks on your blood pressure and proper management of the condition can decrease your risk of developing kidney failure.

Hypertensive patients should exercise regularly to keep their weight in the healthy range, which in turn lowers your blood pressure.

Find out how you can shake your salt habit and exercise to keep kidney failure at bay.

Stop smoking for good

Your kidneys will thank you for stubbing out. Blood flow to your kidneys will be improved, ensuring that the nephrons, which perform the essential tasks of filtering wastes from your blood, are in tip-top condition.

Consider consulting a doctor to discuss the methods to quit and/or go for Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT) if necessary.

Stop popping pills

People who already have reduced kidney function, heart disease or hypertension should consult a doctor before taking NSAIDS as they could increase the risk of kidney diseases. If you have been a regular or heavy user of NSAIDS and suffer from the above-mentioned conditions, you can take a blood or urine test to check if they have affected the functioning of your kidneys.

 

Learn about your family’s health history

Having a family member with kidney disease does not mean that you will definitely develop it as well. While we cannot change our genetics, we can educate ourselves about our health and make good choices that will lower our overall risk factor for developing kidney diseases.

 

 

There is no U-TURN for kidney failure.
Take the next step towards early detection by going for a kidney screening today!

Note: The above scoring result is not conclusive of your health status and medical condition. Please consult your doctor for a health screening and proper diagnosis.

How do I check if I have kidney failure?

Listen to your kidneys and look out for early warning signs of kidney disease, which may go unnoticed as kidney disease is often called a silent killer.

If you are between 21 to 80 years old, answered YES to: 

  • Has family history of kidney disease, diabetes, or hypertension
  • Are known to have diabetes, hypertension, or heart disease*
    *Includes conditions such as heart attack, heart failure, valve disease, stroke and blood vessel/vascular disease
  • Has BMI ≥ 27.5kg/m2
  •  Have not done any kidney screening in the past 1 year

You may visit NKF CKD Clinic to receive a free kidney screening!

If you experience the signs and symptoms of kidney failure, please immediately consult your doctor and your doctor may recommend you kidney screening tests for further diagnosis. Your doctor may also check your estimated Glomerular Filtration Rate (eGFR), which is an indication of your kidneys’ functioning capacity.

As Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) progresses, the eGFR declines. At CKD Stage 5, also known as End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) or kidney failure, the patient requires long-term dialysis or transplant to survive.

What happens if I am diagnosed with kidney failure?

Patients diagnosed with kidney failure will need dialysis or a kidney transplant. However, dialysis cannot fully replace the functions of our kidneys as they work continuously 24 hours, 7 days a week to keep our body composition normal whereas dialysis is intermittent. 

The quality of life of a dialysis patient, to a certain extent, is constrained by the illness. Ideally, a kidney transplant is the best treatment as the transplanted kidney can substitute almost fully the lost functions of the failed kidneys.

8 Secrets to Outsmart the Silent Killer

Maintaining proper kidney health is one of the best ways to prevent Kidney Failure.

Outreach Programmes

NKF is committed to educate about kidneys health, its causes and steps to take to keep kidneys healthy through our outreach programmes.
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FAQ

General Enquiries

As there are limited car park lots available at NKF Centre visitors may need to park at the nearby HDB car parks in the vicinity.

NKF HQ Mondays –Thursdays
Fridays
PH / Weekends
8.30am –6.00pm
8.30am –5.00pm
Closed
Dialysis Centres Mondays –Saturdays
Sundays
PH
7.00am –11.00pm
Closed
7.00am –11.00pm

We are open on most public holidays except for the 1st day of Chinese New Year.

NKF does not provide ad hoc dialysis treatment. Our patients are on long-term dialysis treatment. You may wish to check with private dialysis centres for ad hoc dialysis treatments.

NKF does not have an outpatient clinic and hence, we are unable to arrange an appointment for members of the public. You may wish to contact a hospital of your choice for outpatient service.

Currently, NKF does not provide health report interpretation service. You may consult your General Practitioner who will be able to assist you.

Someone with kidney failure may not experience any signs and symptoms until it is too late. It is best to do a routine health screening to understand your health status better and detect any abnormalities as early as possible so that you can delay and manage the disease progression.

To know about the signs and symptoms please click here to learn more.

Decreased urination Swollen hands and ankles Sleep disturbances
Blood in the urine (tea-coloured or fresh blood) Puffiness around the eyes High blood pressure
Nausea and vomiting Itching Loss of appetite

All dialysis centres operate on 3 dialysis shifts –morning, noon and evening.

Morning Noon Evening
7.00am –12.00pm 12.00pm – 6.00pm 6.00pm –11.00pm
Timing of your dialysis schedule may vary for each dialysis centres.
Schedules
Monday, Wednesday and Friday (1,3,5) OR Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday (2,4,6)

Admissions

Our Admissions Counsellor will contact you once your application is finalised. They will be in contact with you soon.

From the day we receive the application form, it will take approximately 3 working days to a week for us to get back to you if you have submitted all completed supporting documents together with your application form to us. Generally, the whole process will take 6 months for the approval.

The overall application review process will take approximately 6 months before the applicant can start the first dialysis treatment. However, if the applicant is able to provide all completed supporting documents and if there is a slot available at the dialysis centre with a right match to the time slot, the waiting time could be shorter.

Currently, we do not have status checking service online. NKF Admissions Counsellor will be in contact with the applicants regarding the status.

You may pick it up from the NKF main office at 81 Kim Keat Road, Singapore 328836 or call us at 6506 2187 to have the forms sent to you.

Means Test is used to determine the amount of subsidies each person needing care is eligible for. Persons from lower income households will be granted higher subsidies under the means test framework.

Means Test subsidies calculation is based in accordance to MOH guidelines.

Our NKF Admissions Counsellor in-charge will contact you in regards to your means test status.

The Medical Social Workers at your hospital will be able to advise you on the different type of subsidies based on your financial situation.

Kidney Live Donor Support Fund

For information on kidney donation in Singapore, you may wish to contact the National Organ Transplant Unit at Tel: 6321 4390 or email organ.transplant@notu.com.sg.

NKF’s Kidney Live Donor Support Fund covers annual health screenings and medical follow-ups; one-time reimbursement for loss of 2 months actual income of $8,500, whichever is lower: reimbursement of hospitalisation and surgical insurance premiums (capped at MediShield Life premiums); pre-transplant screening and evaluation costs for up to 2 potential donors per kidney recipient; and insurance coverage for Group Living. Policy based on sum insured of $200,000.

For more information and eligibility, please click here. 

Donation & Volunteering

You can make the donation through different platforms:

  1. For online donation: please visit https://nkfs.org/support-us/donation-programmes/
  2. Or you may like to issue a cheque made payable to “The National Kidney Foundation” or “NKF” and mail it to us at 81 Kim Keat Road, Singapore 328836.
  3. Alternatively, you may contact us at 1800-KIDNEYS (5436397) or email us at lifedrops@nkfs.org to send you the donation form.
  4. Road Singapore 328836.

Thank you for your generosity. The cheque should be issued to “The National Kidney Foundation” or “NKF”.

Thank you for bequeathing your CPF contributions to NKF. You can fill up the CPF nomination form which can be downloaded from the CPF website. NKF’s UEN is 200104750M.

Thank you for your generosity. You may like to visit the Ministry of Law’s website where you can find a list of lawyers based in Singapore. Please visit https://eservices.mlaw.gov.sg/lsra/search-lawyer-or-law-firm/

Our UEN/ Company Registration No. / GST Registration No. is 200104750M.

Please send us an email at lifedrops@nkfs.org or call us at 1800-KIDNEYS (5436397) and we will assist you accordingly.

You may email your new mailing address to lifedrops@nkfs.org , Please include your full name, contact number, old mailing address and UEN or NRIC/FIN (last 3 digits)

You may email us at lifedrops@nkfs.org to get the donation form. Please fill up your new GIRO/credit card number, donation amount and sign the form. Thereafter, post the GIRO form back to NKF for processing.

For credit card, you may wish to scan the form and send it to NKF via either of these options:

Email – lifedrops@nkfs.org

Fax – 6253 0417

Mail – 81 Kim Keat Road, Singapore 328836

Please email us at lifedrops@nkfs.org with your full name, UEN/NRIC/FIN and mailing address.

Please email us at lifedrops@nkfs.org to have the termination form sent to you. Please fill it up and send it back to us for processing and auditing purposes.

All outright cash donations to NKF are entitled to tax deduction because NKF is a registered charity with an IPC (Institutions of Public Character) status. We are able to issue tax deductible receipts for qualifying donations to our donors.

You are entitled to a tax deduction of 2.5 times the value of your donation in the preceding year.

You may sign up via our website at https://onlinereg.nkfs.org/vms/volunteerapplicationform.aspx.

If you do not have access to the internet, please call us at 1800-KIDNEYS (5436397) to have the application form sent to you. Please fill it up and send it back to us at 81 Kim Keat Road Singapore 328836.

Once we receive your application, our colleague from the Donor and Volunteer Management Department will contact you for a phone interview. After which, you will be invited to attend our volunteer orientation. This is to allow you to have a better understanding of the volunteering activities.

The minimum age is 13 years old. For volunteers who are below the age of 21, you will need to get parental consent. You may download the consent form here.

We strongly encourage our volunteers to commit at least a year so that we can better support our patients. Our programmes and activities are flexible, you can choose your volunteering schedule according to your interest and availability.

You may volunteer with us basing on your availability. We will send a weekly email to our volunteers indicating the up-coming volunteering opportunities. You can then match your availability to the activity schedule.

We have an array of volunteering activities to suit your interest and availability. To learn more about the volunteering activities we offer, please visit https://nkfs.org/support-us/volunteer-programmes/.

Anyone and everyone can join us as a volunteer. All applicants will be required to undergo a mandatory orientation session where you will gain insights into the Foundation’s cause, kidney disease as well as learn more about the volunteering activities we offer. Regular trainings are also conducted for all volunteers so that they can better perform their role.

Most definitely! We welcome schools, companies and community groups to volunteer with us as part of their Values In Action and Corporate Social Responsibility activities. Please get in touch with us on your interest by sending an email to volunteer@nkfs.org.

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