HOPEline  --  (800) 579-1970
The HOPEline Launched September 10, 2007!

Are you a kidney patient in need of HOPE? Do you have some non-medical questions you didn’t want to “bother” the doctor with? Do you need to talk with another kidney patient who’s been there? Did you just get diagnosed and don’t know what to expect?

Have we got GOOD NEWS for you!!

RSN is pleased to  announce the implementation of a long-planned centralized toll-free phone line that will allow people affected by Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) and their families to call a fellow patient for peer support.

Here is how it works: by calling toll-free (800) 579-1970, kidney patients who are just beginning their CKD journey or trying to “stay on the path” can speak to knowledgeable, compassionate peer patients and retain their anonymity. The HOPEline is open Monday through Friday from 10:00 a.m to 8:00 p.m. PT.

The peer patients go through a training program as telephone operators on the HOPEline.  In addition to providing access to resources, they learn how to share their experiences, strengths, and hopes, building confidence in fellow patients and empowering them to be their own advocate in their care.

“Whether you or a family member lives with kidney disease, the support of one friend can make a difference,” says Renal Support Network founder and three-time kidney transplant patient, Lori Hartwell.

Cher Thomas, a kidney transplant recipient, states, “When I was first diagnosed with kidney disease, my family and I were in shock.  After living with kidney disease for over a decade, I find the support and knowledge I have gained from other patients has been as valuable as the medical care I have received.”

Twenty million Americans have kidney disease. Close to 350,000 people in the United States are on dialysis.

As the peer patient gains in feelings of self-worth by sharing valuable experiences and coping skills, he or she is in turn motivated to reach out to others.  For many peer patients, this position can help them perfect their skills as a vehicle for career development.

The development of peer patients gets to the grassroots problems of isolation that some kidney patients may have and makes use of the available internet and cell phone networks, allowing those who are in rural communities or house-bound access to valuable information and support.  People grow closer together rather than remain in isolation.

The HOPELine is provided with support from Roche.