A clinic at Groote Schuur Hospital in Cape Town is providing tailored care for adolescents and young adults with kidney disease, helping them transition from pediatric services. The Kidney Adolescent and Young Adult Clinic, known as Kayac, has shown improved survival rates and lower dropout compared to standard adult care.
The clinic operates on Thursday afternoons for patients aged 13 to 25. It combines medical checks, blood and urine tests, medication collection, and a social support group in one visit. This approach reduces the burden on young people who often struggle with the shift from child-focused hospitals.
Tarique Kenny, a 25-year-old patient mentor, was diagnosed with the genetic condition cystinosis at age three and received a kidney transplant at 14. He recalls the transition feeling like a nightmare until he joined Kayac. “I think within a couple of hours, it felt like my new home, a new safe zone,” he said.
A five-year study led by clinic head Dr Zibya Barday and Professor Mignon McCulloch found better results for Kayac patients. They recorded a 97 percent composite outcome survival rate after one year, compared with 87 percent in adult services. Loss to follow-up was 15 percent at Kayac versus 34 percent elsewhere.
The program began in 2002 after earlier patients faced difficulties during transition. It now partners with the Red Cross War Memorial Children’s Hospital and receives support from a similar clinic in Oxford, United Kingdom. Staff credit the success to consistent teamwork and dedicated adolescent focus rather than extra funding.
