Carla McNaughton was 30 when she was diagnosed with the "silent killer" of chronic kidney disease.

She went to a doctor with dehydration and dark urine, and was found to have the illness also known as CKD.

"I've never really been unwell before, my health was quite good, so I was pretty shocked," Ms McNaughton told AAP.

A physician colleague who later pored over years of her blood test results said there were signs of the condition four years before her diagnosis.

It came as a huge blow, partly as CKD took a toll on her body and reduced her window for having a baby, which didn't happen.

"I was very heartbroken for a while but I just turned that into determination to try to spread the word," she said.

Ms McNaughton is among 11 per cent of Australians with CKD however the majority of ca

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