The World Kidney Day 2026 campaign has launched!
The World Kidney Day (WKD) 2026 campaign “Kidney Health For All - Caring for People, Protecting the Planet” is now in full swing.
Placing prevention and early detection at the center, the 2026 campaign highlights the importance of sustainable kidney care that protects both people and the planet.
Let us together raise awareness for World Kidney Day! Share your posts on social media using the official hashtags #WorldKidneyDay, #OurKidneysOurPlanet, and #KidneyHealthForAll. Don’t forget to tag @WorldKidneyDay so that we can repost your content!
Get ready to host your World Kidney Day activities on March 12 and throughout the year!
Engage your community and promote kidney health awareness by participating in World Kidney Day (WKD). WKD takes place on March 12, 2026, making now an ideal time to plan your event. And WKD is a year-long campaign; you can host your activity anytime - before, on, or after WKD. Plan your activity: Check out the newly released 2026 Activities Guide for ideas, tips, and best practices. Choose an activity that is celebratory, inclusive, and fits your group’s interests.
Promote your event: Pin it on the WKD interactive map so others worldwide can see and join. Post on social media: use the hashtags #WorldKidneyDay, #OurKidneysOurPlanet, #KidneyHealthforAll and don’t forget to tag @WorldKidneyDay to help spread the word! Encourage your peers to share your event and invite others.
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Make use of the WKD materials! |
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We are excited to release new resources for WKD 2026. Celebrate WKD 2026 with our handy pocket-sized bookmark! Perfect for handing out at events or including in your outreach activities, it highlights this year’s theme in a fun and memorable way. Be kind to the environment: Print it on sustainable or seeded paper and inspire conversations about kidney health. |
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Share practical tips for kidney disease prevention with our new 8 Golden Rules flyer.
Easy to distribute and simple to understand, this resource helps your community learn how to take care of their kidneys and make healthier choices every day. Use it at events, clinics, or workshops to promote kidney health awareness. |
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Host the hashtag challenge #OurKidneysOurPlanet during your WKD activities! Help raise awareness about kidney health and the effects of climate change on kidney disease by using our 2026 props. Simply download and print them, then involve your community in the fun. Snap a photo while holding the props and share it on social media using the hashtag #OurKidneysOurPlanet - and don’t forget to tag us so we can repost your efforts! |
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WKD Community Spotlight #5 |
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We are excited to bring you another edition of the WKD Community Spotlight! This ongoing newsletter section highlights your local and regional news, WKD activities, and advocacy efforts, celebrating the outstanding contributions within the global kidney community. |
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Climate-Kidneys-Cognition Working Group The Climate-Kidneys-Cognition Working Group is an international network exploring how climate change impacts kidney and brain health. They meet monthly to advance collaborative research and welcome new members interested in climate-health science.
Next Meeting: Thursday, Dec 4, 2025, 3 PM GMT
Contact: Dr. Shazia Adalat – s.adalat@nhs.net |
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Diabetes and Kidney Health: Early Detection Saves Lives On World Diabetes Day (November 14), global experts reminded us that diabetes affects more than blood sugar - it’s the leading cause of chronic kidney disease worldwide. Kidney damage from diabetes often progresses silently, making early diagnosis essential. Learn more through this educational video and a radio interview with Dr. Lorendiz Ronca, Venezuelan nephrologist and member of the Sociedad Latinoamericana de Nefrología e Hipertensión (SLAHN). |
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Join the 2026 Hashtag Challenge with #OurKidneysOurPlanet! With this year’s hashtag challenge, we are spotlighting sustainable kidney care that protects both people and the planet. Grab our 2026-themed props, snap a photo, and help spread the word about kidney health! How to join: Download and print one (or more!) of our themed props. Tape it to a skewer for easy holding. Snap a photo with your prop(s). Share it on social media with #OurKidneysOurPlanet and tag @worldkidneyday.
Let’s get creative, have fun, and help make sustainable kidney care go viral!
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The 2026 Social Media Toolkit is here!
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Everything you need to help us spread the WKD message and raise awareness about kidney health is in one place. Inside, you will find: The 2026 campaign image in multiple formats, ready to share. Pre-written captions for quick and easy posting. Details on the 2026 hashtag challenge #OurKidneysOurPlanet and how to join. Additional resources and tips to boost your outreach.
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Films are a powerful way to raise awareness, educate, and inspire by sharing real stories from people living with kidney disease and their caregivers. The winner will join the awards ceremony at WCN’26 in Yokohama, Japan, receive a travel grant, and complimentary congress registration. Submit your film by 5 November 2025! |
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Learn more about the 2026 theme
Chronic kidney disease affects 1 in 10 people worldwide and often progresses silently until severe complications arise.
Environmental changes - air pollution, heat stress, dehydration, extreme weather, and rising temperatures - are increasing kidney risks and driving disease progression. Meanwhile, life-saving treatments like dialysis are resource-intensive, consuming large amounts of water, energy, and plastics.
By prioritizing prevention and early detection, we can protect both kidney health and the planet.
We are delighted to announce that a new World Kidney Day (WKD) campaign is launching soon! WKD 2026 will take place on Thursday, March 12, 2026 under the theme:
Get the 2026 WKD Assets
On the WKD website, you’ll find the 2026 campaign image in a variety of formats (A4 posters, social media banners, website banners), along with the 2026 logo in multiple languages.
Use these ready-to-go materials to amplify the WKD message, raise awareness, and support your own WKD activities around the world!
2026 Materials
Be a Voice in the 2026 WKD Blog
We’d love you to be part of the 2026 World Kidney Day blog!
Contributing is quick and easy. Just log in to your personal area on our website. You can type your post directly online, upload a Word or PDF, or, if you’d like a spark of inspiration, pick one or more prompts from our short questionnaire (also available in your login area).
Share your stories, insights, or ideas and help us create a blog full of voices from around the world.
Explore Past Stories
Kidney Health for All - Caring for People, Protecting the Planet
Please note: This theme has been shared with you confidentially, one week ahead of the public launch.
Why this theme matters
Chronic kidney disease (CKD) affects more than 850 million people worldwide and is projected to become the 5th leading cause of years of life lost in the coming years, partly due to growing climate-related risks. Kidney disease and climate change worsen each other: dialysis for end-stage kidney disease demands large amounts of electricity, water, and single-use plastics, contributing to environmental degradation.
At the 78th World Health Assembly in Geneva, the World Health Organization (WHO) adopted its first-ever global resolution on kidney disease. Member States committed to raising awareness, formally recognizing WKD as a public health observance, and addressing environmental risk factors.
Last year’s theme, “Are Your Kidneys OK? Detect early, protect kidney health”, emphasized prevention and early detection, still essential to reducing the environmental impact of kidney care by lessening the need for resource-intensive treatments.
How to get involved
For WKD 2025, over 2,500 activities took place worldwide with strong social media engagement. With the added momentum of the WHO Kidney Health Resolution, we aim for an even greater impact in 2026 – and we need your support.
Our 2026 campaign page launches on Monday, 15 September 2025 on the WKD website and social media. Please share it with your network and community, and help spread the word by:
- Liking, commenting, and reposting WKD social media content.
- Promoting the WKD blog sharing your own story as an advocate, nephrologist, or person with lived experience.
- Organizing a WKD activity.
- Submitting news, advocacy efforts, and WKD activity plans to the WKD Community Spotlight in our monthly newsletter via the dedicated submission form (published in the previous month’s newsletter).
For questions, suggestions, or to share your WKD 2026 plans, contact us at info@worldkidneyday.org.
Best regards,
The WKD team
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? Join the countdown to kickoff World Kidney Day 2026! It is time to gear up for the 2026 World Kidney Day campaign, launching this September. World Kidney Day raises awareness about kidney health and promotes global strategies to prevent kidney disease. While the campaign is officially observed every second Thursday in March, its impact resonates throughout the year thanks to the support of the global kidney community! Here are 3 ways to get ready for World Kidney Day 2026: ?? Stay tuned for the announcement of the 2026 theme on September 15! ?? Follow us on social media - like, comment, and share our posts with your community. ?? Start brainstorming activities to mark the campaign. Need inspiration? ? Consult our 2025 Activities Guide (the 2026 edition is coming soon!).
The World Kidney Day Blog is your space to inspire, inform, and connect with the global kidney community. From patient voices to advocacy initiatives, the blog showcases stories that highlight kidney health and raise awareness. ?? Like Pemba Sherpa from Nepal, who became the first transplant recipient to summit Mt. Everest in 2025, showing what is possible after transplant. Read his full story. As we look toward World Kidney Day 2026, we invite you to share your story and be featured on our blog. Your perspective can inspire others and make a real impact in the kidney community! |
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KD Community Spotlight #2 |
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| We are excited to bring you another edition of the WKD Community Spotlight! This ongoing newsletter section highlights your local and regional news, WKD activities, and advocacy efforts, celebrating the outstanding contributions within the global kidney community. |
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| ???? Providence Health Care, Canada - Supporting CKD Patients with Nutrition Webinars
Providence Health Care launched live Zoom education webinars to help patients learn more about nutrition in Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD). On the BC Renal website, patients can also access multi-language handouts for additional support. All of this work is developed and delivered by registered dietitians. |
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???? Libyan Society of Dialysis, Libya - A Groundbreaking Achievement in Hemodialysis
In Tripoli, Libya, a hemodialysis session reached a record blood pump speed of 600 ml/min — the first documented case of its kind. The patient, a 32-year-old male, remained stable throughout the 4-hour session, with no complications reported. Conducted under close multidisciplinary supervision, this achievement marks a significant milestone in dialysis efficiency and patient care. Please fill out the form below by September 19, 2025 for a chance to be featured in next month’s newsletter. If you have any questions, feel free to contact us at info@worldkidneyday.org. |
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