Renal nurse Julz
Smith checks the blood pressure of Highlanders team members
Fumiaki Tanaka (centre) and Joe Wheeler in central Dunedin
yesterday to raise awareness of World Kidney Day.
High blood pressure can be an early sign of kidney disease.
Wheeler (24) said he and Tanaka returned ''perfect'' scores,
but it was not something to be taken for granted.
Highlanders high performance manager Greg O'Brien said there
was reasonably high awareness of kidney disease in the rugby
fraternity, because it had struck high-profile players.
Dialysis nurse Liz Edwards said she was keen to check as many
people's blood pressure as possible, and encourage them to
think of it as an early intervention measure for kidney
disease and other potential ills.
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