The Kidney Foundation of Canada works to impact kidney patients by investing in medical research to enhance care, educating them on kidney health and kidney disease, and providing them with programs to improve their quality of life.Recreation and relaxation are universal needs, but perhaps even more so for chronic disease patients. For the 1 in 10 Canadian families impacted by kidney disease they are rarely able to take a vacation or experience the joys of an outdoor escape because their family member must have access to life-saving dialysis treatment multiple times a week. The KFOC is partnered with Camp Dorest, a family-camp property equipped with a fully-staffed dialysis center on-site to ensure patients diagnosed attending the camp continue to receive their weekly treatments while experiencing outdoor escape with their family. Camp Dorest offers waterfront activities, wooded hiking trails, campfires, etc, and Ontario’s major attractions off-site. KFOC is also partnered with Camp Kivita, a summer camp for children who have received an organ transplant. Progressive kidney failure affects a child’s ability to lead a healthy, normal life. Every child deserves the chance to experience the wonder of summer camp. At Camp Kivita, medical staff are on-site to monitor and manage visitors’ medical situations while providing an escape in a natural wonderland where friendships and memories replace worries. KFOC subsidies help local children attend camp each summer and our CHEO’s pediatric renal unit is one of the largest in the province to take advantage of this program. Our help makes their summer possible.The program benefits families from Ottawa and the surrounding valley where one or more members currently receive dialysis treatment for kidney failure. This includes adult patients, their partners who also serve as caregivers and the children of patients. In 2022, we subsidized 29 families from our region to attend Camp Dorset. Patients in our region also benefit from the annual contribution KFOC makes to Camp Kivita to subsidize children attending that program..