Bloody Amazing Kidneys Campaign

What is Kidney Care UK’s Bloody Amazing Kidneys campaign?

Kidney Care UK want to reach those most at risk of developing kidney disease to help them understand their risks and take action to reduce them.

They have done this by creating a striking campaign celebrating the bloody amazing role our kidneys play in filtering our blood every day to keep our other organs healthy. However, it’s possible to lose up to 90% of your kidney function without realising. The signs or symptoms of kidney disease are often confused with other illnesses. A million people in the UK have kidney disease right now and are not aware of it.

That’s why the charity developed a risk checker tool https://kidneycareuk.org/kidney-health-checker/

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) means that your kidneys are not working as well as they should be. It is defined in five stages, with CKD Stage 5 being the most severe form – also known as kidney failure. Chronic means that it is a lifelong condition. There is no cure but there are treatments that can help prolong kidney health and slow the progression of kidney disease. However, data shows that they are not being prescribed as frequently as they could be.

People with diabetes and high blood pressure are most at risk of developing kidney disease.

 Why is the campaign needed?

Public awareness of CKD is very low and many people in at-risk groups, for example those with diabetes and high blood pressure, are not aware that they are vulnerable to kidney problems. This is one reason monitoring, and checks are not done consistently.

 Dialysis units are reaching capacity and the transplant waiting list is at its longest in over a decade. If we can identify and treat people sooner, then we have a chance to reduce the number of people needing dialysis or a transplant. This will be better for people, better for the NHS, better for the economy, the environment and society at large.

 We can all play a part in helping to prioritise kidney health.

Published on 9 October 2025