NKF Circle of Hearts, launched on June 26, 2007, is the first volunteer programme of the new NKF. It is one of the initiatives to inspire kidney patients to rise above their adversities so that they can lead a reasonable quality of life. By including various volunteering activities as part of the patients’ healing process, NKF hopes to help them cope better with their long-term illness. The Circle of Hearts consists of the following programmes:

Befrienders Programme – Offering Friendship and Hope

There are needy patients who are lonely or need a listening ear so NKF introduced the Befrienders Programme to provide an opportunity to those who wish to volunteer their services to the NKF, where our patients can receive more social support. The Befrienders who have joined this programme are bringing joy and hope to kidney patients at our dialysis centres.

As a Befriender, you can befriend a patient either at the dialysis centre or at the patient’s home. You can do so one-to-one or form a group to befriend a patient. NKF will provide you with training to acquire specific skills to raise your ability and confidence in being a Befriender. Knowledge of kidney disease and nutrition for kidney patients will also be covered. NKF will match you with a suitable patient and you can start your befriending service to the patient, preferably for at least six months. To ensure better outcomes, regular visits (at least once a month) are needed. There will be regular feedback between you and the NKF, so that necessary adjustments can be made.

Befriending Services include:

• Befriending/comforting and providing psychosocial/emotional/peer support
• Recreational activities/outings
• Escort to the dialysis centre
• Home visits e.g. house keeping

Enrichment Programme – Imparting New Skills

The NKF has also developed an enrichment programme where volunteers may leverage on their own skills and interests to help patients acquire new skills and hobbies such as computer usage, cooking, gardening, art & craft and music. Through this programme, patients can pass their time more meaningfully, thereby enriching their lives.

Adoption Programme

This is a 6-month programme to assist our neediest patients’ families with basic food provisions as well as emotional and mental support through friendship during their home visits. During the course of the programme, for once-a-month, suitable volunteers will adopt and help purchase $30 worth of food provisions with the food vouchers provided.

What you have to do as a Volunteer:

• Sign up as a family or teams of at least 2 members
• Attend the Programme Orientation
• You will be assigned to a needy patient
• Visit the patient family once a month with $30 worth of basic food provisions
• Befriend them, build friendship and hope

Interested?

To join the NKF Circle of Hearts, please call 6299 0200, email us at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it or download the form and mail back to NKF at 81 Kim Keat Road, S(328836).