PKD Foundation of Canada

Do you have PKD? Or does PKD sometimes feel like it has YOU? 💙
Some days, you're just living your life. Other days, a test result, a new symptom or a worry about the future can make PKD feel like the biggest thing in your world. And sometimes, you just want to forget about it for a while.

Researchers have been studying how chronic illness becomes part of our identity. And they've described four different ways people may experience that relationship.

💙 When illness feels all-consuming.
💙 When we try to push it away.
💙 When we recognize it as one part of who we are.
💙 When our experiences lead us to find new meaning or connections.

But here's something important: These aren't fixed stages. And there's no requirement to find something positive about living with PKD. Our relationship with chronic illness can change throughout our lives.

At this week's 2026 PKD Summit, we're exploring these ideas with Professor Koen Luyckx, a psychologist and researcher from KU Leuven in Belgium.

His research examines identity, mental health, relationships and adaptation to chronic illness, including conditions such as type 1 diabetes and congenital heart disease.

💙 The Psychosocial Impact of Chronic Disease
📅 Thursday, November 5 | 1 p.m. ET
💻 FREE online presentation

SAVE this carousel if it gives you a new way of understanding your experience.

And SHARE it with someone who might appreciate knowing that their relationship with chronic illness doesn't have to fit into one tidy little box.

🔗 Register at www.endPKD.ca/summit, through the link in our bio.

#PKD #PolycysticKidneyDisease #ChronicIllness #MentalHealth #ChronicIllnessAwareness #PKDSummit