TWO LEADING kidney charities, Kidney Wales and Kidney Care UK, have joined forces to roll out a nationwide awareness campaign aiming to reach people at risk of developing kidney disease in Wales. This is the first widespread pan-Wales kidney disease awareness campaign of its kind.
Your kidneys constantly filter your blood and remove toxins to keep all of your other organs working well. If you have damage to your kidneys this is known as chronic kidney disease (CKD). CKD comes in five stages, with stage 5 CKD also known as kidney failure. Kidney disease is a lifelong condition with no cure, and when your kidneys fail you need kidney replacement therapy (dialysis or a transplant) to restore some of their function.
It is estimated that there are 194,559 people in Wales with CKD. Often people do not experience symptoms or signs that their kidneys aren’t working as well as they should be until their kidney disease is more advanced. It is possible to lose as much as 90% of your kidney function without even realising. Across the UK there are a million who have CKD and do not know they have it.
A lack of awareness of the vital role our kidneys play, and no screening programme for kidney disease, means many people find out their kidneys are damaged when it’s too late to take action to avoid developing kidney failure. The earlier someone is diagnosed, the more time there is to prolong their kidney function for as long as possible. Right now, in Wales there are 2,478 people with kidney failure.
Kidney Care UK launched the #BloodyAmazingKidneys campaign in October 2024 to highlight the amazing job our kidneys do to filter our blood; to help people understand if they might be at risk of developing kidney disease; and to empower those at risk to speak to their GP about having their kidney function tested. Since the campaign launched more than 330,000 people (almost the equivalent of the entire population of Cardiff) have completed the online kidney health checker.
In 2026, Kidney Care UK partnered directly with Kidney Wales to bring the campaign to the nation and help raise awareness of kidney disease in Wales. This started with joint presence of both charities at events at the Senedd and at University Hospital Wales. As of June 1, the campaign will be appearing at 12 railways stations spread across Wales for 4 weeks – in which time there will be more than 1.6 million people entering and leaving the stations.
Ross Evans, Chief Executive of Kidney Wales, said: “We are delighted to be working alongside Kidney Care UK to bring the #BloodyAmazingKidneys campaign to communities across Wales.
“Too many people are unaware they may be at risk of kidney disease, often until it has already progressed significantly.
“This campaign is a fantastic opportunity to start conversations, reach people where they live and travel, and encourage more people to take a few minutes to learn about their kidney health.
“Together, we can help ensure that more people across Wales recognise just how #BloodyAmazing their kidneys really are.”
Laurie Cuthbert, Director of Fundraising, Marketing and Communications at Kidney Care UK, commented: “We’re excited to be working with the team at Kidney Wales to help more people understand how #BloodyAmazing their kidneys are.
“Kidney patients often tell us that they wished more people knew about how important their kidneys are, and so what better way to get people talking about their #BloodyAmazingKidneys by highlighting the campaign at such key sites across the nation.”
Helen Presdee-Jones lives in Wales and has kidney disease.
She added: “Collaboration between Kidney Care UK and Kidney Wales is so important to ensure there is raised awareness of kidney health and improved kidney awareness right across the country.
“No one else in my family suffers from kidney issues and yet I’ve been a kidney patient for over 30 years. We weren’t aware of what kidney disease was when I was diagnosed.
“The #BloodyAmazingKidneys campaign is a brilliant way for people to learn about the impact of kidney disease, particularly those who’ve never heard about it and how important your kidneys are. Check your kidneys. I wish I’d had the opportunity to know more.”
Kidney Care UK is the UK’s leading kidney patient support charity, providing emotional, practical and financial support to people with CKD across the UK. Kidney Wales is the leading kidney charity in Wales; supporting patients and their families, and promoting excellence in kidney research, education, and treatment within Wales.
You can take a few minutes to check to see if you might be at increased risk of developing kidney disease using Kidney Care UK’s Kidney Health Checker page.
