Although National Kidney Month has come to a close, kidney disease remains a constant reality for the patients and families living with its impact each and every day.
For lifelong Palmer Rapids resident Delmar Phanenhour, it’s more than just a health concern—it’s a personal journey he’s lived with for most of his life. And right now, it’s front and centre as he prepares for a life-changing kidney transplant, made possible by the generosity of a
living donor.
Delmar’s history with kidney disease stretches back as far as he can remember. “I was always aware that there was kidney disease in the family. My mother, Mildred, and her sisters had it—cousins, aunts, and uncles too.”
Family research revealed a genetic link that could be traced back generations through the Hydeman family on his mother’s side.
Wanting to know his own fate, Delmar decided to get tested and, in 1982 at the age of 21, underwent an Intravenous Pyelogram (IVP), the diagnostic test used at the time. That’s when he learned he had Polycystic Kidney Disease (PKD).
According to the Canadian Kidney Foundation, PKD is a hereditary disease affecting approximately 1 in 1,000 people. Seventy percent of those diagnosed will develop kidney failure by age 70. Treatments aim to maintain kidney function and slow the disease’s progression, but many patients eventually require dialysis or a transplant.
Life after Diagnosis
From the beginning, Delmar’s medical team included his family physician, Dr. Cybulski, and nephrologist Dr. Delbrouck, both of whom had cared for his mother and other relatives. With their shared knowledge of the family’s medical history, they worked to maintain Delmar’s kidney function for as long as possible without intervention.
For the next 40 years, Delmar managed to live what he describes as a normal life, although he says, “Living with the disease for so long, you don’t really know what normal feels like.”
He married his high school sweetheart, Anita (Schutt), who was his neighbour, growing up just two concessions apart in rural Rosenthal. Together, they raised three children: Amanda, Craig, and Lynsay.
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