Donor Mum Supports Consent Change

A GWENT mother who donated one of her kidneys to her daughter is supporting proposed changes to the organ donation procedure.

Kathryn Fleet, 42, donated her kidney to her daughter Kirsty Fleet, 19, in December 2007 after Miss Fleet suffered kidney failure.

Mrs Fleet, who was an organ donor prior to donating her kidney, said she thinks the system of presumed consent would help the thousands of people waiting for a transplant each year.

Miss Fleet's father Mark, 47, sister Jodie, 21, and brother Joel, 18, all offered to donate their organs and were all matches, but medics chose Mrs Fleet to be the donor.

Prior to the operation, Miss Fleet had been undergoing dialysis three times a week.

The Tredegar pair underwent surgery at the University Hospital of Wales, Cardiff on December 17 and were the 100th transplant performed at the hospital in 2007.

Wales News - Health Committee to carry out inquiry into presumed consent

NHS Wales News - Health Committee to carry out inquiry into presumed consent

The Welsh Assembly's Health, Wellbeing and Local Government Committee is to carry out an inquiry into the presumed consent of organ donation.


The issues of organ donation and how to increase availability are underpinned by existing shortages of donors together with widespread health concerns from the government and medical profession that increasing numbers of older people and rising levels of obesity leading to diabetes and subsequently kidney failure will inevitably mean a growing demand for organs in the future.

Although the Assembly does not currently have legislative competence in this area, it could consider the possibility of seeking an LCO.

The Petitions Committee has already received two submissions calling for presumed consent, and Health Minister Edwina Hart has agreed to undertake public consultation on the issue.

The Committee has agreed to undertake its own inquiry looking at issues such as the possible legal framework for a system of presumed consent, the views of the public and interested parties, and how system in Wales would work in conjunction with the rest of the UK.

The Committee will meet on Wednesday 30 January 2008 at 9am in the Senedd to agree terms of reference for the review and look at the legal position. It will also take evidence from Kidney Wales.

Jonathan Morgan AM, Chair of the Committee, said: "It is clear that something needs to be done to increase the number of organs available for transplant. A system of presumed consent may help but we need to look at all the issues involved including the practical issues for the Health Service and whether there are alternative ways of making improvements.

"This is a sensitive area and we will also want to ensure that moral, ethical and religious considerations are taken into account as well as the views of the public at large.

"I am confident that the Committee will carry out a robust and useful inquiry into presumed consent, taking the views of a wide range people as to whether this is the right way forward.

"Kidney Wales will be attending our meeting and I am looking forward to hearing their evidence as a starting point."

KIDNEY WALES EVIDENCE TO THE LORDS EU SELECT COMMITTEE

News release

Kidney Wales Foundation tells the House of Lords yesterday that this Task force report is honest but it requires more discussion in Wales as Wales differs in views from the UK on progress on presumed consent. From evidence to the Committee it is evident that UKT is not in favour of presumed consent but KW tells Committee that UKT should not as a Government Agency hold a view and should consult the public.

Kidney Wales agrees to assist the Health Minister in Wales Edwina Hart AM MBE to consult withe public on presumed consent and promote organ donation in 2008.

Relatives Who Decline Organ Donations Face Conflict And Guilt

Relatives Who Decline Organ Donations Face Conflict And Guilt


KIDNEY WALES FOUNDATION DISCUSSES SOUTHAMPTON UNIVERSITY RESEARCH WITH THE HOUSE OF LORDS COMMITTEE

Kidney Wales Foundation in evidence to the Lords EU Committee made reference to research at Southhampton University.The Committee asked for further discussion on the research.

Family members are sometimes unable to carry out their relative's wish to donate organs when they die, because of conflicting feelings between making a gift of life and protecting the body of the deceased, according to new research.

Researchers from the University of Southampton, UK, spoke to 26 people who had decided not to let their relatives' bodies be used for organ donations about their views and experiences. The 23 relatives who died ranged from a five-week old baby, who had died of a lung condition, to an 82 year-old man, who died following a stroke.

"Family members who spoke to us were recruited using advertisements in 12 local newspapers, four national newspapers and four hospital intensive care units," explains lead researcher Dr Magi Sque from the School of Nursing and Midwifery at the University.

Kidney Wales Foundation Evidence to Lords Committee

kidney wales - Google Search

In Kidney Wales evidence to the House Of Lords EU Select Committee yesterday:

1. The Lords questioned the relatively little empirical evidence on the impact of presumed consent on donation rates. However,KW pointed out the study by Abadie and Gay of Harvard and Chicago Universities (2005) to examine this across 22 countries who have introduced presumed consent systems over a 10 year period. The study found that presumed consent had a positive and sizeable effect on organ donation rates of some 25%-35% higher on average in presumed consent countries.

2. Kidney Wales proposes that the law on consent for organ donation be changed and that for purposes of disease treatment Welsh residents are presumed to be organ donors on death unless:

• They have opted out
• They cannot be identified
• The persons place of residence cannot be identified
• The wishes of the deceased can be proven to be contrary after relatives have been contacted
• Immediate relatives object.

KW will be attending the Assembly Health and Wellbeing Committee at the Assembly on 30 of January 2007 scoping a change in law in Wales on presumed consent .

Treatment developed for kidney tumors - UPI.com

Treatment developed for kidney tumors - UPI.com

CARDIFF, Wales, -- U.S. and British researchers report they are finding success with a new treatment for kidney tumors in patients with the genetic disorder tuberous sclerosis.

A study, led by researchers at Cardiff University, Wales, examined a new treatment involving the drug Sirolimus, which was first identified from a soil sample taken from Easter Island. The drug has been shown to control the activity of the protein mTOR.

Plan to double number of organ transplants - icWales

Plan to double number of organ transplants - icWales

Roy J Thomas, chairman of the Kidney Wales Foundation, which has been calling for a dedicated new transplant unit through its high profile People Like Us campaign, said, “We have been in talks with the Health Minister for several months and are delighted that she has supported the campaign.

“The minister was instrumental in ensuring that Cardiff and Vale NHS Trust and Health Commission Wales finalised efforts to provide the much needed transplant unit for Wales. This will mean that many more lives can be saved each year and it also gives Wales the credence it deserves as a centre of excellence for organ transplantation.”

Allison John from Cardiff, the first person in the UK to have a heart and lungs, liver and kidney transplant, is leading the People Like Us campaign.

She said, “We have campaigned hard over the last five months to improve the lives of kidney patients all over Wales and we are pleased to see that politicians have listened to us.

“However there is still lot to be done and we will now be working hard to get a yes for presumed consent and to make more improvements to the lives of dialysis patients, many of whom are still travelling long distances and receiving treatment in poor facilities.”

No home treatment option for most dialysis patients - icWales

No home treatment option for most dialysis patients - icWales


Only a quarter of patients undergoing dialysis in Wales have access to a home-based treatment option.

But a survey by the organisation Dialysis Options suggest that up to 70% of patients in Wales want to have that option.

There are currently 2,075 kidney patients in Wales of which 1,222 are receiving some form of dialysis.

But only 299 patients are currently receiving peritoneal dialysis, which can be carried out at home. Most patients attend hospital for several hour periods up to three times a week.

BBC NEWS | Wales | South West Wales | Kidney patients rally for changes

BBC NEWS | Wales | South West Wales | Kidney patients rally for changes

Improving the lives of those suffering from kidney disorders is being debated at a rally of patients and medics.
The event in Swansea comes a month after the assembly government said it would fund a renal transplant centre.

The centre, at the University Hospital of Wales in Cardiff, will almost double the number of kidney transplants carried out every year by 2012.

But campaigners say they still want a change in the law over the issue of presumed consent for kidney donation.

Calls for better facilities for dialysis patients in Wales are expected to be made at the rally.