Nursing students raise awareness of kidney health

By Pam Erikson

The World Kidney Day health fair was a success, thanks in part to TRU Nursing students Pamal Serown, Sonika Judge, Madison Beecroft and Sandra Dessau.

For a third-year course in community projects, the four students organized the annual fair in collaboration with their field guide, Dr. Florriann Fehr and the Kamloops branch of the Kidney Foundation.

“The goal of the event was to spread awareness about the important role our kidneys play to our overall health, along with providing prevention strategies to Kamloops residents,” said Beecroft.

Approximately 300 people attended the event on Mar. 12 at Northills Mall, participating in cholesterol checks provided by a volunteer Extra Foods pharmacist, and blood pressure and blood sugar screenings from first- and second-year Bachelor of Science in Nursing students.

The health fair project appealed to the student organizers as a chance to draw attention to the significant impact of kidney disease, explained Serown, and to reduce its frequency in Kamloops through prevention and early detection.

Fehr first got involved with the Kidney Foundation eight years ago by bringing in nursing students from her clinical group to offer blood pressure clinics. This year’s health fair was the second year of the community projects course where her students took a greater role in marketing and organizing the event.

World Kidney Day was also attended by TRU President Alan Shaver, City Council Member Arjun Singh and Executive Director of the North Shore Business Association Steven Puhallo.