The Leicester Kidney Lifestyle Team has been involved in the set-up and launch of a new online wellbeing platform for kidney patients called Beam for Kidney Disease.
Beam for Kidney Disease, funded by Kidney Research UK and led by Dr Sharlene Greenwood of Kings College Hospital, is an online wellbeing platform for patients with kidney disease at all stages to access on-demand and live classes, plus friendly groups, led by specialist physiotherapists and trainers.
The platform is aimed at improving physical and mental wellbeing in all kidney patients across the UK with live and on demand exercise classes, workshops and educational videos as well as motivational and community support.
Kidney Beam was conceived during the COVID-19 pandemic to support people living with kidney disease who were having to shield, but the benefits to everyone will extend far beyond.
The team hopes that the platform will help overcome challenges for people living with kidney disease in accessing a full spectrum of care, and is dedicated to reducing these health inequalities in the UK and around the world.
Professor Lettie Bishop, Professor of Exercise Immunology at Loughborough University, is part of the steering group for the development of Beam for Kidney Disease and produced an educational video on ‘keeping moving to keep your immune cells happy’.
Professor Bishop explained: “We know that increasing activity levels has a multitude of benefits for people living with kidney disease. In-house kidney rehab programmes are amazing, but still aren’t commonly available in the UK and during the COVID-19 pandemic kidney patients have been asked to shield and so keeping active has become more difficult.
“When I was approached to get involved I could see the tremendous potential for Beam for Kidney Disease to provide a place for the kidney community to be able to keep moving and manage their physical and emotional wellbeing, while being given the chance to learn more about why activity is particularly beneficial for their condition.
“The fact that the exercise and wellbeing classes are led by physios, other health care providers and people who themselves are on their own journey with kidney disease means that the classes and workshops are really geared to the unique needs of the kidney community.”
Rosey Billany, a researcher with the University of Leicester and one of the exercise instructors on the platform, said of Beam for Kidney Disease: “I see Kidney BEAM as a joint journey for myself and our participants…a chance for me to share my knowledge but also a chance for me to learn.
“As a researcher I know the importance of being active for those with a chronic condition. BEAM is a fantastic place for us to provide all levels of help and support for those who need it, to provide some challenge to those who want it and to bring together a community of people all with the same goal.”
For more information, visit the Beam for Kidney Disease website.