Ask anyone who’s had kidney stones and they’ll tell you that a stone can occur anytime and anywhere — accompanied by one of the most severe pains of all medical conditions. One in 10 Canadians suffer from kidney stone disease and half of all first-time sufferers will endure another stone episode within five years. The pain is so severe that any stone patient will likely tell you that they wouldn’t wish kidney stones upon their worst enemy.

Fortunately, the Stone Centre at VGH is here to help.

Free education event on June 23

As a partner in fighting kidney stones, the Stone Centre is hosting its 2nd annual free education event – Taking the Fear out of Kidney Stones – next week on June 23.

Open to everyone, the event will feature an interdisciplinary team, including a dietitian, urology doctors and researchers who will discuss kidney stone prevention and cutting-edge studies to improve prognosis.

One such study involves the role of gut bacteria in kidney stone formation. Some ‘good’ bacteria break down oxalate, one of the major components of the majority of kidney stone cases. The bacterial population in our gut is specific to each individual, and is formed by environmental factors such as diet and lifestyle.

This research project also seeks to compare the gut bacteria of a kidney stone former with the gut bacteria of someone who shares a similar environment but who has never formed kidney stones. Using this approach, researchers will be able to identify differences in gut bacteria population and which bacteria may be breaking down oxalate, thus reducing the risk of kidney stone formation. Once identified, the hope is to have these ‘good’ bacteria as preventative options that patients can take in a yogurt or capsule.

This study is currently recruiting oxalate kidney stone formers and the corresponding control.

When: June 23 from 6:30–8:30pm

Where: VGH

RSVP: Olga Arsovska at olga.arsovska@ubc.ca

For more information: www.stonecentrevgh.ca