SINGAPORE — More than 1,000 people participated in a Sit-a-Thon organised by the National Kidney Foundation (NKF) yesterday to raise awareness of renal disease.

For four hours, they were confined to a seat while attempting activities with only one arm to get a sense of what the over 5,000 patients here undergoing dialysis three times a week go through.

NKF Chairman Koh Poh Tiong said he hopes the experience will encourage more to proactively maintain a healthy lifestyle, amid what the foundation described as an “alarming” rate of increase of new kidney failure cases. In 1999, there were 680 cases. In 2010, the number more than doubled to about 1,400.

Noting that the two leading causes of kidney failure here are diabetes and hypertension, the NKF urged people to keep a healthy diet and a regular exercise regime, as well as go for regular check-ups so that these and other risk factors related to kidney failure can be detected early.

One in nine Singaporeans aged 18 to 69 suffers from diabetes and one out of four has hypertension, it said.

“If diagnosed early, one can prevent this problem from getting worse,” the foundation said. “Unfortunately, if diagnosed late, dialysis or a kidney transplant becomes necessary.”

Yesterday’s event, at which Acting Minister for Social and Family Development Chan Chun Sing was guest of honour, also saw insurance company Great Eastern Life donating three new kidney dialysis machines — valued at S$60,000 — to the NKF.

Said the firm’s Head of Group Corporate Communications Tan Seck Geok: “Our donation ... is our simple but heartfelt way of ‘giving life’ back to those in need.” WOO SIAN BOON