However, this week, it means just one thing - check your kidneys.

Red Undies Week to promote kidney awareness might not mean much to the average Australian, but it does to patients and staff at the Renal Dialysis Unit at Moruya Hospital, including 26-year-old Kelly Roberson.

Currently on the waiting list for a kidney transplant, Ms Roberson has attended the dialysis unit every Monday, Wednesday and Friday afternoons, for four years.

She battled a reflux problem as a child and had a kidney transplant from her father, but it failed after three years.

Now, she is back on the waiting list.

“There’s no guarantee, it could be days, months or years,” she said. “It’s a very big waiting game.”

Kidney failure is not something the average 26-year-old has to think about, but Ms Roberson urged people to get tested for a mere $2.

“Kidney Awareness Week is very important,” she said.

“Kidney disease is not really recognised like cancer and heart disease and I think it needs to be recognised in Australia.”

About 1.7 million Australian adults have at least one sign of kidney disease, and more than 50 people die each day from a kidney-related disease.

Ms Roberson’s message is strongly supported by staff in the unit, who donned red undies, capes and veils for the launch on Monday.

Renal Outreach nurse Robyn Facchini recommended people get tested once a year so problems can be addressed early. If something is detected, she said they could monitor and slow the progression.

“It can come on so suddenly,” she said.

“Some people don’t realise they have a problem until they have a blood test and have to have surgery. It can creep up without you feeling anything, you may not even feel pain.”

Ms Facchini said the Moruya unit has 19 patients who undergo four to five hours of dialysis three times a week.

Nurse unit manager Tuija Kostiainen said for the patients “life just becomes dialysis”.

“Transplant is the only way out of here, and not everyone is eligible for that,” she said.

“There’s very little option for holidays. They have to co-ordinate dialysis elsewhere if they want to go on a holiday.”

Ms Kostiainen said Red Undies Week was also about promoting kidney donations, and encouraging people to talk about their wishes with families.

“The percentage we have in Australia is pretty dismal compared to the rest of the world,” she said.

“It’s not something people think about until their own family is sitting in that chair.”

Theo Schutz, from Dalmeny, has been going to the renal dialysis unit since September.

“If I didn’t have dialysis, I would die,” he said.