World Kidney Day 2025 – NefroTeamCT

World Kidney Day 2025 – Community Outreach Event in Constanța

On March 13th, 2025, the Constanța County Emergency Clinical Hospital marked World Kidney Day through a multidisciplinary awareness campaign titled “World Kidney Day 2025 – NefroTeamCT”, dedicated to promoting kidney health and the early prevention of chronic kidney disease (CKD).

This initiative was the result of several days of meticulous planning, during which educational content was developed, logistics were managed, and interdepartmental collaboration was coordinated. The event commenced at 7:00 a.m., synchronised with the hospital’s clinical schedule, and extended until 4:00 p.m., culminating in a series of online presentations delivered by physicians from the Nephrology Department.

Throughout the day, our team implemented a variety of public engagement activities aimed at raising awareness of CKD risk factors and the importance of early prevention. Key components of the campaign included:

• Distribution of educational leaflets, providing evidence-based guidance on preserving kidney function, recognizing major risk factors for CKD, and promoting early detection through a QR-coded link to the International Society of Nephrology’s self-assessment tool (kidneyquiz.theisn.org).
• Hydration promotion, via the free distribution of water bottles branded with the campaign’s visual identity, reinforcing the message that adequate hydration is a foundational pillar of kidney health.
• Direct dialogue with patients, both from the Nephrology inpatient wards and the Hemodialysis Center, offering tailored medical advice and encouraging peer-to-peer information dissemination within their communities.
• Engagement with hospital personnel and visitors, emphasizing the frequently asymptomatic nature of CKD and the critical role of regular medical follow-up, particularly among at-risk populations.
• Participation in professional dialogue, through online presentations delivered by Nephrology Department physicians during the second day of the Medical Forum Conference (March 12–13, 2025), an event dedicated to family medicine practitioners, aiming to enhance interdisciplinary collaboration and reinforce the role of primary care in CKD prevention and early detection.

The central objective of this activity was twofold: to foster health literacy and prevention among the general public and to provide clinical and emotional support to individuals already living with kidney disease.

Our advocacy is underpinned by several compelling realities:

• CKD is a silent and underdiagnosed condition, often identified only in its late stages, when therapeutic options are limited and outcomes are poorer.
• In Romania, the prevalence of CKD is steadily rising, compounding the social, psychological, and economic burden on patients and healthcare systems.
• Preventive strategies are feasible and cost-effective, and raising public awareness through community-based initiatives can substantially curb disease incidence and progression.
• As medical professionals, we hold the responsibility of empowering communities with knowledge, enabling individuals to make informed, health-conscious decisions.
• Finally, empathy and guidance offered to patients already diagnosed with CKD constitute essential components of humanistic, patient-centered care.

We strongly believe that every educational gesture—be it a flyer, a bottle of water, or a meaningful conversation—has the potential to ignite reflection, foster behavioral change, and ultimately contribute to a future in which kidney disease is neither silent nor ignored, but rather prevented, recognized early, and compassionately managed.

This initiative embodies not only our strategic framework but also the spirit of our interactions throughout the day. Each moment of dialogue carried a singular, powerful message: Take care of your kidneys—because prevention begins with awareness.