Peer Mentoring

Peer Mentors are Vital

A Peer Mentor is someone with a positive attitude toward managing their kidney disease and a commitment to supporting others in their journey. These individuals empower kidney patients to move forward with their lives after diagnosis by sharing their personal experiences. As people who have been through similar challenges, Peer Mentors can often relate to the patient experience better than friends, family, or even the renal care team.

Peer Mentors also help improve communication between patients and healthcare providers, ensuring that medical staff understand the patient’s concerns, issues, and priorities. As valuable members of the healthcare team, Peer Mentors demonstrate that managing kidney health can lead to longer, more fulfilling lives. They serve as living proof that life with kidney disease is not only manageable but also full of potential.

Connect with a Mentor

If you’re seeking guidance from someone who has walked a similar path, connect with one of the following Peer Mentor programs through KFNOW:

Beaumont Kidney Transplant Peer Mentor Program

Pre- and post-transplant patients are matched with trained Peer Mentors who have undergone kidney transplants. Mentors collaborate with the Transplant Social Worker to support patients in dialysis units and beyond.
Contact: Susan Walker, LMSW, CCTSW at 248-551-9897 or email swalker@beaumont.edu

University of Michigan Kidney Transplant Peer Mentor Program

This program connects patients with individuals who have already received a kidney transplant. Interactions can happen at the dialysis center, during transplant evaluation, or post-transplant.
Contact: 1-800-333-9013 or email transplantoutreach@umich.edu

Greenfield Health Systems (GHS) Peer Mentor Program

The GHS Peer Mentor Community consists of trained patients and family members. This community provides support through meetings, educational events, and open dialogues, helping others through their ESRD journey.
Contact: Sheena Manalel at 313-270-9239 ext. 236 or Hannah Cayton at 248-358-7521

These programs offer support and valuable insights for individuals managing kidney disease, providing connection and care at every step.

Become a Peer Mentor

There are two ways you can get involved as a Peer Mentor with KFNOW:

1. Health System Peer Mentor Programs

Contact your social worker to express interest in joining your health system’s Peer Mentor program. To find a list of health systems with Peer Mentor programs, visit the “Connecting with a Peer Mentor” tab.

Health System Peer Mentors must:

  • Be kidney donors, transplant recipients, dialysis patients, or family members of patients
  • Complete an 8-hour intensive training in communication and listening skills
  • Be willing to discuss sensitive topics such as grief, loss, relationships, sexuality, and managing chronic disease

2. National Phone-Based Peer Mentor Program

If your health system doesn’t have a Peer Mentor program, join the National Kidney Foundation’s PEERS program. This national peer support initiative allows you to mentor patients over the phone. To get involved, call 855-653-7337 (855-NKF-PEER) or email nkfpeers@kidney.org. For more details, visit NKF PEERS Program.

National Phone-Based Peer Mentors must:

  • Have access to a telephone
  • Have chronic kidney disease, kidney failure, or a kidney transplant
  • Complete a telephone-based training program
  • Be prepared and competent to mentor others after training
  • Speak English to participate in training

Start a Peer Mentor Program

If you work at a dialysis unit, transplant center, or health service organization and would like assistance in starting a Peer Mentor program, contact KFNOW at 800-482-1455. Kidney Foundation of Northwest Ohio (KFNOW) can support you by:

  • Providing training for Peer Mentors
  • Sharing best practice ideas from other Peer Mentor Programs
  • Offering updated templates for recruiting and marketing
  • Assisting with connecting new programs to existing Peer Mentor initiatives
  • Organizing data collection on Peer Mentor activities
  • Providing continuing education to Peer Mentors
  • Connecting your health system with other KFNOW programs

Our Standards

Below are the standards that a Peer Mentor program must meet in order to be endorsed by KFNOW:

  • Program Champion: Identify a program champion who will work directly with KFNOW on implementation.
  • Mentee Assignments: Provide mentee assignments to Peer Mentors, either one-on-one or in groups, with the goal of building relationships and trust.
  • Training: Partner with KFNOW for Peer Mentor training or use an approved curriculum.
  • Recruitment: Actively recruit patients to be trained as Peer Mentors.
  • Data Sharing: Communicate program data to KFNOW and ensure Peer Mentors return activity tracking forms.