PKD Charity

Founded in 2000, we’re the first and only UK charity solely dedicated to improving the lives of an estimated 70,000 individuals and their families affected by polycystic kidney disease (PKD) in the UK. PKD is a range of life-threatening inherited conditions that can cause kidney failure and affect other organs in the body such as the liver, brain, heart and bowels. Most people with PKD live with an uncertain prognosis, intermittent pain and infections, and then have to undergo life-saving dialysis or transplant in their 50s. A few babies have a rare form of PKD which results in death during pregnancy or shortly after birth; the surviving children often have to have either a kidney or liver transplant before the age of 10. We provide reliable, accredited information, advice and personalised support. We raise awareness of the burden of PKD, both clinical and psychosocial. We fund research aimed at understanding more about PKD and the discovery of therapies that will improve quality and longevity of life.