The Project ProCKD targets patients with Chronic Kidney Disease. We wish to employ Patients with Chronic Kidney Disease, support their employment and employability and entrepreneurship. It’s not for caregivers and not necessarily for social entrepreneurship. Patients with CKD (Chronic Kidney Disease) or ESRD (End Stage Renal Disease) face many barriers to remaining in or joining the workforce, especially after starting dialysis treatment. These barriers include poor employment opportunities because of disadvantaged socioeconomic status, fatigue and other symptoms of renal failure, depression and feelings of social isolation, comorbid diseases, transportation issues, potential loss of disability and/or medical assistance benefits with employment, scheduling conflicts with dialysis, and the assumption by some employers that patients on dialysis are too sick or undependable to work. During the Istanbul Meeting we addressed the opportunities, challenges and approaches of the partnership from a Turkish perspective.

2-Day Meeting Istanbul

During the meeting in Istanbul, January 10th-11th 2022, we discussed the content for the Learning Mobilities in Leiden. The Gelisim University, had outlined a great ProCKD programme of presentations, a.o.:

• Ayşe ONAT from Türk Böbrek Vakfı Presentation
• Dr. Mehran  ROSTAMZADEH from Psychology Department of IGU Presentation
• Dr. Aman SADO ELEMO from Psychology Department of IGU Presentation
• Lecturer Eda OCAK from Dean of Students Presentation
• Erdem Ünal ELLİ  from Psychological Counseling and Guidance Center-Presentation

During the meeting in Istanbul we also discussed the progress of the project, and the upcoming ProCKD Training Days in The Netherlands.

Coming Up: Dutch ProCKD Training Days

The Dutch ProCKD training, at Area071 in Leiderdorp, will support the capacity building of the stakeholders thus helping the development of the necessary patient competences. Activities will be an opportunity to develop a community of further support for the professional integration of patients and for their caregivers’ education.

For a good overview of the Dutch Training Days in Leiden, watch the MP4 Video below: