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.”