Celebrating Success Newsletter
Welcome to our latest newsletter
Welcome to our Celebrating Success newsletter. We turn the spotlight to the achievements of some of our friends and colleagues from across London and take a moment to celebrate their work. We hope you’ll join us in sharing our congratulations and may be feel inspired to share your successes, or take the first step with that good idea you’ve been thinking about, too.
Funmi, London Kidney Patient and Volunteer, Recieves an MBE
On 30 March Funmi was awarded an MBE in recognition for her kidney focused volunteering work
Funmi says:
“Receiving my MBE in recognition of my work for volunteering and with London Kidney Network was amongst the list, truly one of the most humbling moments of my journey. Visiting Windsor was surreal, steeped in history, yet filled with such personal meaning. It was an absolute honour and privilege to stand there, representing not just myself, but every patient voice I’ve had the responsibility to advocate for.
Meeting King Charles III was a highlight I won’t forget. We had a brief chat about kidney care, patient advocacy, and the importance of listening to lived experiences. I like to think I gave him a quick masterclass in what really matters, though I’m not sure if he was more impressed with the work or just relieved I didn’t ask him to join a committee on the spot.
A moment of recognition, but also a reminder: the work continues.”
The King presenting Funmi with her MBE
Funmi with her MBE in recognition for her kidney focused volunteering work
Kidney Nurses Sarah Milne (Royal Free Hospital) and Joana Teles (Imperial College Hospitals)
awarded Renal Nurse of the Year awards at the BJN Awards 2026
Joana Teles, Clinical Nurse Specialist, winner of the silver award reflects
“It feels like a privilege to love my job and to be in a position where I can truly make an impact. At work, I have big dreams, to improve screening and early chronic kidney disease management. I would not have received this award without the collective effort of nurses, doctors, administrators, and people living with CKD. Some days we win, and it feels like we are on top of the world; other days we lose, and it feels awful, but we keep going. Gradually, change happens, and when we look back, we realise just how proud we are of what we’ve achieved.
This award is dedicated to Team Imperial, and in particular to Neill (Dr Duncan) and Andrew (Dr Frankel). Thank you for your mentorship, encouragement, and belief in me. To all nurses: dream big.”
Sarah Milne, Kidney Nurse Consultant and bronze award winner shares her thoughts:
“I was delighted to be nominated for this award, which is a real tribute to the wonderful multidisciplinary team I work with at the Royal Free Hospital and across North Central London. This is a journey, and I learn something new every day. It is a privilege to be able to develop new ways of working, recognising that sometimes things work and often they don’t, but there is always learning to take forward. I really enjoy building and strengthening relationships with primary care and community colleagues and feel lucky to see the positive impact of change for people living with CKD at both a patient and system level. I am also fortunate to work within a culture where nursing leadership is actively supported and promoted, driven by medical leaders Dr Sally Hamour and Dr Mark Jesky.
I am excited to see what comes next”
Sarah Milne and Joana Teles, award winners
Joana Teles, winner of the silver award
Tadala Kolewola, Kidney Dietitian (Royal London Hospital) and Denise Cunningham, Renal Pharmacist, (Royal Free Hospital) Share Donal O’Donoghue Fellowship Award for Best MDT Abstract at UK Kidney Week
We asked Tadala more about her project. She says
‘I’m delighted that our project on developing the African and Caribbean Kidney-Friendly Recipe Magazine was recognised with the Best Clinical Abstract Award at UK Kidney Week 2026.
This work addressed a key gap in renal care, the lack of culturally appropriate dietary resources for African and Caribbean communities. Patients were involved in selecting recipes and sharing tips included in the magazine, ensuring it reflects real food practices, preferences and challenges.
With the support of funding received, my next steps focus on increasing uptake and reach moving from patient voices to patient hands and reinforcing that reducing health inequalities requires both co-creation and culturally relevant dissemination.’
You can access the recipe magazine here Kidney Kitchen African and Caribbean Recipes | Kidney Care UK recognised at UK Kidney Week
We were thrilled to hear that Denise shared the award with Tadala for her work on the K-FiT project at Royal Free Hospital. You can learn more about the K-Fit (Kidney Fitness for Transplant) service here Information on the kidney fitness for transplant (K-FiT) clinic – Royal Free London
Tadala Kolewola, Kidney Dietitian
LKN Prevention Team and Kidney Care UK were awarded ‘Best Poster Presentation’ at UK Kidney Week 2026
The LKN Prevention Team worked collaboratively with Kidney Care UK to develop an interactive educational webinar programme for people living with CKD stages 1-3, with integration across primary and secondary care. Their poster presentation had excellent audience engagement and they are now exploring collaborative and scaling opportunities. You can view the poster to find out more about their work here London Kidney Network Events | Dates for your diary
LKN and Kidney Care UK Poster Team
Professor Nicola Thomas retires after 44 years in kidney care
Prof Nicola Thomas has been an integral to the LKN Prevention Team and its key successes, e.g. the LKN CKD Early identification and Optimisation Pathways and the pan-London educational webinar programme for people living with CKD stages 1-3. We are immensely grateful for Nicki’s commitment and generous sharing of her wealth of knowledge and expertise. Thank you so much: we hope you enjoy your retirement!
Prof Nicola Thomas
Upcoming Training and Education
Beyond the Prescription: MDT Care in Weight-Loss Medications 2026
Friday 10 July 2026 | Central Hall and Governors’ Hall, STH
As weight-loss pharmacotherapy – particularly GLP-1–based treatments – expands across NHS pathways, the need for safe, coordinated and patient-centred wraparound care is increasingly important.
This one-day course is designed to support multidisciplinary teams in delivering high-quality care for patients accessing weight-loss medications, with input from endocrinology, dietetics, psychology and physiotherapy.
Key topics include:
- The science of obesity and weight management
- Safe prescribing and management of GLP-1 therapies
- Psychology, stigma and communication
- Nutrition and body composition, including sarcopenic obesity
- Practical MDT case discussions
Who should attend:
All healthcare professionals involved in weight management and patient support, including dietitians, dietetic assistants, physiotherapists, technical assistants, clinical psychologists, psychology assistants, nutritionists, consultants, clinical fellows, nurses, pharmacists and GPs.
AKC Symposium, King’s College London, 25 June 2026
This one-day event offers high quality talks and case study workshops for anyone working or interested in advanced kidney care.
Sessions include:
- Planning for the right access at the right time
- When to start renal replacement therapy
- Health literacy and digital access in Advanced Kidney Care
- Optimising home haemodialysis
- Caring for advanced kidney care patients with severe mental illness
- Medication in Advanced Kidney Care
- Supporting health at higher body weight across the Advanced Kidney Care pathway
- Transplantation in later life
- Transform AKC update
More information and booking page can be found here:
Registration is Now Open for Kidney Supportive Care & PD Academy 2026!
📣 Registration Now Open for Kidney Supportive Care & PD Academy 2026