Yale College pair shed the pounds for kidney charity - Evening LeaderNot content with losing weight for their chosen charity, the dynamic duo are also organising Wrexham's first-ever Walk for Life on Sunday, March 29.
Sponsored by Specsavers which will supply free t-shirts, the event begins at 10.30am from Wrexham FC's Racecourse ground in Mold Road and follows a circular route through the town centre.
Rachael said: "We're hoping to attract between 500 and 1,000 people. In fact, the more the merrier. People interested in taking part can contact me on 07515 190342 , or bring a donation with them on the day.
"When I started raising money for the charity it opened my eyes to how many people there are out there with kidney problems."
She added: "I particularly wanted to help the Kidney Wales Foundation because Nia has done so much to help Stuart and I with our weight loss programme.
"It has been going quite well up to now but I must admit it has been hard for me. I have a real battle with food and have had to change my lifestyle completely."
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Thursday, March 5, 2009
NHS Wales News - Health Minister visits new dialysis unit in Pembrokeshire
NHS Wales News - Health Minister visits new dialysis unit in Pembrokeshire
News: Health Minister visits new dialysis unit in Pembrokeshire
5 March 2009, Welsh Assembly Government
The Health Minister, Edwina Hart, will today [Thursday, 5 March] visit a new renal dialysis unit at Withybush Hospital, Haverfordwest, to meet patients and staff benefiting from the new facilities locally.
Previously dialysis patients would have had to undertake regular and often lengthy journeys out of county to Carmarthen for treatment. Patients now have the opportunity to undergo treatment locally at the new unit although some will continue to have their renal dialysis in Carmarthen.
The unit opened in December 2008 with the ability to treat 12 patients but further stations have now opened to accommodate 24 patients. The provision of the temporary unit is part of a phased development that will see a permanent dialysis unit open on the Withybush Hospital site by March 2011.
South Gwynedd has also been identified as an area in need of a new unit and building work should commence next year. Last year, the Minister opened the new unit at West Wales General Hospital in Carmarthen as well as the new kidney dialysis unit in Cardiff.
Coupled with the investment in dialysis, the Welsh Assembly Government has part funded the Kidney Wales Foundation-led Donate Wales: Tell a Loved One campaign, which aims to encourage people to become donors. Linked to that a £4.2m Assembly Government-funded transplant unit at the University of Wales Hospital is due to open early next year.
Mrs Hart said: "The new interim unit enables patients to benefit from improved services until the permanent facility is built.
"Having this facility in Pembrokeshire will greatly improve the care for patients locally and reduce the need to travel which will not only improve their health but also their quality of life."
"I am committed to improving renal services across Wales. The draft budget set aside for renal dialysis expansion this year is £6.8m.
"However, for many patients receiving dialysis the best option would be a transplant so we will continue to support the Kidney Foundation Wales-led Donate Wales Tell a Loved One campaign which raises awareness of the importance of signing up to the organ donation register. The campaign also emphasises the need for people to discuss their wishes with friends and family."
Hywel Dda NHS Trust's Chairman Chris Martin said: "We are delighted that plans for a permanent dialysis unit for Pembrokeshire patients are progressing and that in the meantime, patients can be treated in the temporary unit."
Roy J. Thomas, Chairman of the Kidney Wales Foundation and Donate Wales campaign, said: "We are fully committed along with the Welsh Assembly Government, to world class renal facilities across Wales. Transplant and dialysis treatments in Wales are improving under this government and we are working in partnership to ensure this continues and that more kidney patients and their families in Wales benefit."
News: Health Minister visits new dialysis unit in Pembrokeshire
5 March 2009, Welsh Assembly Government
The Health Minister, Edwina Hart, will today [Thursday, 5 March] visit a new renal dialysis unit at Withybush Hospital, Haverfordwest, to meet patients and staff benefiting from the new facilities locally.
Previously dialysis patients would have had to undertake regular and often lengthy journeys out of county to Carmarthen for treatment. Patients now have the opportunity to undergo treatment locally at the new unit although some will continue to have their renal dialysis in Carmarthen.
The unit opened in December 2008 with the ability to treat 12 patients but further stations have now opened to accommodate 24 patients. The provision of the temporary unit is part of a phased development that will see a permanent dialysis unit open on the Withybush Hospital site by March 2011.
South Gwynedd has also been identified as an area in need of a new unit and building work should commence next year. Last year, the Minister opened the new unit at West Wales General Hospital in Carmarthen as well as the new kidney dialysis unit in Cardiff.
Coupled with the investment in dialysis, the Welsh Assembly Government has part funded the Kidney Wales Foundation-led Donate Wales: Tell a Loved One campaign, which aims to encourage people to become donors. Linked to that a £4.2m Assembly Government-funded transplant unit at the University of Wales Hospital is due to open early next year.
Mrs Hart said: "The new interim unit enables patients to benefit from improved services until the permanent facility is built.
"Having this facility in Pembrokeshire will greatly improve the care for patients locally and reduce the need to travel which will not only improve their health but also their quality of life."
"I am committed to improving renal services across Wales. The draft budget set aside for renal dialysis expansion this year is £6.8m.
"However, for many patients receiving dialysis the best option would be a transplant so we will continue to support the Kidney Foundation Wales-led Donate Wales Tell a Loved One campaign which raises awareness of the importance of signing up to the organ donation register. The campaign also emphasises the need for people to discuss their wishes with friends and family."
Hywel Dda NHS Trust's Chairman Chris Martin said: "We are delighted that plans for a permanent dialysis unit for Pembrokeshire patients are progressing and that in the meantime, patients can be treated in the temporary unit."
Roy J. Thomas, Chairman of the Kidney Wales Foundation and Donate Wales campaign, said: "We are fully committed along with the Welsh Assembly Government, to world class renal facilities across Wales. Transplant and dialysis treatments in Wales are improving under this government and we are working in partnership to ensure this continues and that more kidney patients and their families in Wales benefit."
Health Minister, Edwina Hart, to visit Withybush Hospital's new renal dialysis unit (From Western Telegraph)
Health Minister, Edwina Hart, to visit Withybush Hospital's new renal dialysis unit (From Western Telegraph)
Health Minister, Edwina Hart, to visit Withybush Hospital's new renal dialysis unit
Welsh Health Minister, Edwina Hart, will today (Thursday) visit a new renal dialysis unit at Withybush Hospital and meet patients and staff benefiting from the new local facilities.
The unit opened in December last year with the ability to treat 12 patients. Since then a dozen more stations have opened and 24 patients can be accommodated .
Health Minister, Edwina Hart, to visit Withybush Hospital's new renal dialysis unit
Welsh Health Minister, Edwina Hart, will today (Thursday) visit a new renal dialysis unit at Withybush Hospital and meet patients and staff benefiting from the new local facilities.
The unit opened in December last year with the ability to treat 12 patients. Since then a dozen more stations have opened and 24 patients can be accommodated .
Friday, January 2, 2009
North Wales father’s transplant bid to give ailing daughter a better life - Daily Post North Wales
North Wales father’s transplant bid to give ailing daughter a better life - Daily Post North Wales
A TERMINALLY ill teenage girl is facing an agonising wait to see whether she will be able to receive her father’s kidney.
Jessica Law, 14, has undergone 15 major operations since she was born.
Her dad John is having tests to see whether he can donate one of his kidneys for a transplant, which will give her a much better quality of life.
Her mum Vona said: “In the meantime, Jessica is going on the waiting list for a kidney from a deceased donor as well, so I would just like to emphasise how important it is for people to carry donor cards.
“We’ve found out in the last few weeks that Jessica has deteriorated even further, and it may mean they have to start dialysis before she can have the transplant, because her blood levels are so unstable.
“The kidney side of it has to take precedence because she is so sick from that, but she’s still got a lot of medical problems that need addressing.
“Jessica has other complications that will require surgical intervention over the next few years which add to the complications of her condition.
“So far, she’s had 15 major operations, everything from a three-hour operation to a 17-hour operation, one which was done in Great Ormond Street Hospital in London.
A TERMINALLY ill teenage girl is facing an agonising wait to see whether she will be able to receive her father’s kidney.
Jessica Law, 14, has undergone 15 major operations since she was born.
Her dad John is having tests to see whether he can donate one of his kidneys for a transplant, which will give her a much better quality of life.
Her mum Vona said: “In the meantime, Jessica is going on the waiting list for a kidney from a deceased donor as well, so I would just like to emphasise how important it is for people to carry donor cards.
“We’ve found out in the last few weeks that Jessica has deteriorated even further, and it may mean they have to start dialysis before she can have the transplant, because her blood levels are so unstable.
“The kidney side of it has to take precedence because she is so sick from that, but she’s still got a lot of medical problems that need addressing.
“Jessica has other complications that will require surgical intervention over the next few years which add to the complications of her condition.
“So far, she’s had 15 major operations, everything from a three-hour operation to a 17-hour operation, one which was done in Great Ormond Street Hospital in London.
Monday, December 29, 2008
Businessman Tim donates a kidney to save a complete stranger | Mail Online
Businessman Tim donates a kidney to save a complete stranger | Mail Online
Businessman Tim donates a kidney to save a complete stranger
By Mail On Sunday Reporter
Last updated at 11:34 PM on 27th December 2008
A businessman has saved the life of a stranger by giving her one of his kidneys.
Tim Rowles, 46, from Leiston, Suffolk, heard of 43-year-old Wendy Adams’s desperate need for a transplant as her one kidney was failing – and realised they shared the same rare O-negative blood group.
Tests revealed that he had the right tissue match to be a donor for the clothing designer, who grew up in nearby Martlesham, before emigrating to Holland.
Businessman Tim donates a kidney to save a complete stranger
By Mail On Sunday Reporter
Last updated at 11:34 PM on 27th December 2008
A businessman has saved the life of a stranger by giving her one of his kidneys.
Tim Rowles, 46, from Leiston, Suffolk, heard of 43-year-old Wendy Adams’s desperate need for a transplant as her one kidney was failing – and realised they shared the same rare O-negative blood group.
Tests revealed that he had the right tissue match to be a donor for the clothing designer, who grew up in nearby Martlesham, before emigrating to Holland.
Thursday, December 25, 2008
The small matter of a kidney donation - Times Online
Cassandra: the small matter of a kidney donation - Times Online click for full story
I’ve been reading a lot lately about kidney problems. Every other week it seems there’s a story about someone with kidney disease. Anthony Kiedis from the Red Hot Chili Peppers had some trouble but now it seems he’s OK. There was also a story about two best friends – one who needed a kidney, the other who donated. That’s got to put a strain on a friendship.
I’ve been reading a lot lately about kidney problems. Every other week it seems there’s a story about someone with kidney disease. Anthony Kiedis from the Red Hot Chili Peppers had some trouble but now it seems he’s OK. There was also a story about two best friends – one who needed a kidney, the other who donated. That’s got to put a strain on a friendship.
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
Dan does London Marathon for Kidney Wales
Dan's Diary - December 2008
Dan Cherry has been granted the one available Kidney Wales Foundation running spot in the 2009London Marathon.
Dan said "... I finally signed the forms last week and received an email from the organisers to tell me that there is no backing out and that on April 26th 2009 I will be on the start line for one of the world's most famous long distance races the LONDON MARATHON. It is a great feeling to know that I can make a small difference to the charity with my efforts and I just hope that I do not put on too much weight over Christmas and hamper my bid to complete the course!"
Dan Cherry has been granted the one available Kidney Wales Foundation running spot in the 2009London Marathon.
Dan said "... I finally signed the forms last week and received an email from the organisers to tell me that there is no backing out and that on April 26th 2009 I will be on the start line for one of the world's most famous long distance races the LONDON MARATHON. It is a great feeling to know that I can make a small difference to the charity with my efforts and I just hope that I do not put on too much weight over Christmas and hamper my bid to complete the course!"
Dan does London Marathon for Kidney Wales
Dan's Diary - December 2008
Dan Cherry has been granted the one available Kidney Wales Foundation running spot in the 2009London Marathon.
Dan said "... I finally signed the forms last week and received an email from the organisers to tell me that there is no backing out and that on April 26th 2009 I will be on the start line for one of the world's most famous long distance races the LONDON MARATHON. It is a great feeling to know that I can make a small difference to the charity with my efforts and I just hope that I do not put on too much weight over Christmas and hamper my bid to complete the course!"
Dan Cherry has been granted the one available Kidney Wales Foundation running spot in the 2009London Marathon.
Dan said "... I finally signed the forms last week and received an email from the organisers to tell me that there is no backing out and that on April 26th 2009 I will be on the start line for one of the world's most famous long distance races the LONDON MARATHON. It is a great feeling to know that I can make a small difference to the charity with my efforts and I just hope that I do not put on too much weight over Christmas and hamper my bid to complete the course!"
Calendar boys bring new hope
Calendar boys bring new hope
AMMANFORD husband Chris Dark won’t have to worry about finding wife Melanie the perfect Christmas present this year — he’s already given her the gift of life.
Thanks to pioneering technology, the fit-as-a-fiddle 46-year-old was able to donate one of his kidneys to his seriously ill wife.
Chris runs the Ammanford and District Kidney Wales Committee with Melanie, also 46, who was diagnosed with kidney failure when she was just 17.
A successful kidney transplant in her 20s gave her a new life, but when it began to fail after 13 years she was placed back on the waiting list for more than a decade.
AMMANFORD husband Chris Dark won’t have to worry about finding wife Melanie the perfect Christmas present this year — he’s already given her the gift of life.
Thanks to pioneering technology, the fit-as-a-fiddle 46-year-old was able to donate one of his kidneys to his seriously ill wife.
Chris runs the Ammanford and District Kidney Wales Committee with Melanie, also 46, who was diagnosed with kidney failure when she was just 17.
A successful kidney transplant in her 20s gave her a new life, but when it began to fail after 13 years she was placed back on the waiting list for more than a decade.
Sunday, December 21, 2008
Watkins is a Prophet for charity - WalesOnline
Watkins is a Prophet for charity - WalesOnlineclick for full story
Ian Watkins headlines Kidney Wales Foundation’s New Year’s Eve Charity show at Cardiff University on January 31. Tickets cost £20 from 0871 2200 260.
Ian Watkins headlines Kidney Wales Foundation’s New Year’s Eve Charity show at Cardiff University on January 31. Tickets cost £20 from 0871 2200 260.
Friday, December 19, 2008
Kidney op man is on the crest of a wave - WalesOnline
Kidney op man is on the crest of a wave - WalesOnline
FOR the first time in nearly five years Mark Schofield is looking forward to a normal Christmas with his family and friends, able to eat what he wants and have a festive tipple with his neighbours.
And the cause for his celebration is that after a long wait Mark has received a kidney transplant, an operation that released him from the shackles of his daily dialysis routine.
The father of two and former UK surfing champion said one of the highlights of his recovery in the past 10 months was the first time he got back on his surfboard, with his 17-year-old son George next to him on the waves during a family holiday in Ireland.
Mark, 45, had been on dialysis every day for three hours since December 19, 2003, when his first kidney transplant, resulting from a donation by his mum Jean, failed after 13 years. Forced back on to dialysis, Mark waited for a new opportunity and a second chance with another transplant but as the years rolled by he feared that might never happen.
“I was giving myself dialysis at home and that affected the whole family, three hours every day, which means 730 injections a year, to clean my blood. Looking back, I started to go downhill.”
Mark became so desperate he embarked on a “transplant tourism” trip to the Philippines last year to try to buy a kidney from a live donor but the trip failed when no match was found.
He now has nothing but praise for the NHS, which came up with a kidney transplant match for him in February this year.
FOR the first time in nearly five years Mark Schofield is looking forward to a normal Christmas with his family and friends, able to eat what he wants and have a festive tipple with his neighbours.
And the cause for his celebration is that after a long wait Mark has received a kidney transplant, an operation that released him from the shackles of his daily dialysis routine.
The father of two and former UK surfing champion said one of the highlights of his recovery in the past 10 months was the first time he got back on his surfboard, with his 17-year-old son George next to him on the waves during a family holiday in Ireland.
Mark, 45, had been on dialysis every day for three hours since December 19, 2003, when his first kidney transplant, resulting from a donation by his mum Jean, failed after 13 years. Forced back on to dialysis, Mark waited for a new opportunity and a second chance with another transplant but as the years rolled by he feared that might never happen.
“I was giving myself dialysis at home and that affected the whole family, three hours every day, which means 730 injections a year, to clean my blood. Looking back, I started to go downhill.”
Mark became so desperate he embarked on a “transplant tourism” trip to the Philippines last year to try to buy a kidney from a live donor but the trip failed when no match was found.
He now has nothing but praise for the NHS, which came up with a kidney transplant match for him in February this year.
Monday, December 8, 2008
Husband gives his kidney to wife
Husband gives his kidney to wife
Dec 8 2008 by Madeleine Brindley, Western Mail
Melanie Dark has just received the Christmas present of a lifetime... her husband Chris gave her his kidney. Health Editor Madeleine Brindley spoke to the couple
WHEN her first kidney transplant failed 11 years ago Melanie Dark faced a lifetime on dialysis.
A combination of numerous blood transfusions, the failed transplant and giving birth to her daughter Kelly, meant that her body would reject any new kidney which was less than a perfect match.
But Melanie is now recovering after her husband Chris donated her a kidney, even though they do not share the same blood group.
She is the first woman in Wales and only the fourth patient in the nation to undergo treatment which allows non-compatible kidneys to be transplanted.
Speaking from her home near Llanelli, the mother of one, who was discharged from hospital last week, said: “The chances of me having another cadaveric kidney were very low because I would have needed such a good match.
“I was called up twice in the last 11 years but the transplant never went ahead because my body would have rejected the kidney immediately.
“I thought I was going to be on haemodialysis forever – that was really hard, it was devastating.”
Melanie’s kidneys were destroyed by a disease and she had her first transplant in 1984 at the age of 21. It began to fail 10 years later and she was forced back on to dialysis in 1997.
“Chris had been on about donating me a kidney for years and years but we were told that it wouldn’t work so we put it on the back burner.”
Chris, 46, said: “There was no sign of Mel having a transplant because she had problems with her antibodies and her blood, making it more and more difficult for her to have a kidney from a donor who had passed away.
“She has been on a [haemodialysis] machine for so many years – she was one of the lucky ones and had a machine at home – but she still had to put needles in herself every day.
“When this new machine came along which could purify the blood and get rid of the negative antibodies, I thought that we had to go for it.
“When you watch your loved one suffer you will try and do anything you can to help them.
“I’m no hero but when you watch your wife suffer and there is something that comes along that can give you hope you want to do it.
“When that option came up I jumped in with both feet. I wanted to go for it, although Mel was a bit worried.”
Melanie said: “Up until the last minute I was more concerned about Chris’ wellbeing – if something had gone wrong with him during the operation I would never have forgiven myself.
“I was still telling him up until the last moment that he could say no because I was really worried about him.
“But he said it was his wish and he wanted to do it because it would benefit both of us.”
The University Hospital of Wales in Cardiff started carrying out non-blood-group-compatible live kidney donations earlier this year – the process has successfully been used elsewhere in the world.
To ensure that the recipient’s body does not reject a kidney donated by someone with a different blood type, they must undergo treatment to remove harmful antibodies from their blood stream before the operation.
Patients are given up to five plasma exchanges before surgery and they have to take additional immune system suppressing drugs after the transplant operation.
It is hoped that the process will boost the number of live kidney donations that can be carried out every year.
Following the transplant Melanie has been able to go to the toilet properly for the first time in more than 11 years and she no longer has to severely limit the amount of fluid she can drink.
“The kidney has given me an instant new lease of life – I don’t think I’ve really come to terms with it yet.
“This is the best Christmas present I could ever have wished for.”
Chris added: “They give 10 to 11 years for a normal transplant but hopefully it should be longer because of the live donation, even though we weren’t compatible.
“If we can get another 10 to 15 years then we will be very pleased.”
Dec 8 2008 by Madeleine Brindley, Western Mail
Melanie Dark has just received the Christmas present of a lifetime... her husband Chris gave her his kidney. Health Editor Madeleine Brindley spoke to the couple
WHEN her first kidney transplant failed 11 years ago Melanie Dark faced a lifetime on dialysis.
A combination of numerous blood transfusions, the failed transplant and giving birth to her daughter Kelly, meant that her body would reject any new kidney which was less than a perfect match.
But Melanie is now recovering after her husband Chris donated her a kidney, even though they do not share the same blood group.
She is the first woman in Wales and only the fourth patient in the nation to undergo treatment which allows non-compatible kidneys to be transplanted.
Speaking from her home near Llanelli, the mother of one, who was discharged from hospital last week, said: “The chances of me having another cadaveric kidney were very low because I would have needed such a good match.
“I was called up twice in the last 11 years but the transplant never went ahead because my body would have rejected the kidney immediately.
“I thought I was going to be on haemodialysis forever – that was really hard, it was devastating.”
Melanie’s kidneys were destroyed by a disease and she had her first transplant in 1984 at the age of 21. It began to fail 10 years later and she was forced back on to dialysis in 1997.
“Chris had been on about donating me a kidney for years and years but we were told that it wouldn’t work so we put it on the back burner.”
Chris, 46, said: “There was no sign of Mel having a transplant because she had problems with her antibodies and her blood, making it more and more difficult for her to have a kidney from a donor who had passed away.
“She has been on a [haemodialysis] machine for so many years – she was one of the lucky ones and had a machine at home – but she still had to put needles in herself every day.
“When this new machine came along which could purify the blood and get rid of the negative antibodies, I thought that we had to go for it.
“When you watch your loved one suffer you will try and do anything you can to help them.
“I’m no hero but when you watch your wife suffer and there is something that comes along that can give you hope you want to do it.
“When that option came up I jumped in with both feet. I wanted to go for it, although Mel was a bit worried.”
Melanie said: “Up until the last minute I was more concerned about Chris’ wellbeing – if something had gone wrong with him during the operation I would never have forgiven myself.
“I was still telling him up until the last moment that he could say no because I was really worried about him.
“But he said it was his wish and he wanted to do it because it would benefit both of us.”
The University Hospital of Wales in Cardiff started carrying out non-blood-group-compatible live kidney donations earlier this year – the process has successfully been used elsewhere in the world.
To ensure that the recipient’s body does not reject a kidney donated by someone with a different blood type, they must undergo treatment to remove harmful antibodies from their blood stream before the operation.
Patients are given up to five plasma exchanges before surgery and they have to take additional immune system suppressing drugs after the transplant operation.
It is hoped that the process will boost the number of live kidney donations that can be carried out every year.
Following the transplant Melanie has been able to go to the toilet properly for the first time in more than 11 years and she no longer has to severely limit the amount of fluid she can drink.
“The kidney has given me an instant new lease of life – I don’t think I’ve really come to terms with it yet.
“This is the best Christmas present I could ever have wished for.”
Chris added: “They give 10 to 11 years for a normal transplant but hopefully it should be longer because of the live donation, even though we weren’t compatible.
“If we can get another 10 to 15 years then we will be very pleased.”
Sunday, December 7, 2008
What the NHS can learn from organ donors
What the NHS can learn from organ donors
By Margaret McCartney
Published: December 6 2008 00:27 | Last updated: December 6 2008 00:27
As an unschooled observer of the money markets, I have been struggling in recent months to understand what anything is actually worth. In healthcare, there is a similar problem, though it makes for rather less exciting headlines. All NHS procedures have to be costed to the last penny, and reported on in “completed care episodes”. But just like financiers, healthcare professionals can’t put an exact price on everything.
Blood, for example, is a commodity given free of charge by people willing to sacrifice time and comfort in order to make a significant difference to someone else. Bone marrow is another “gift”, donated by those who know they will not be repaid financially for being inconvenienced. And then there are the gifts given in the aftermath of death: corneas, kidneys, livers, skin, hearts… all capable of transforming a stranger’s life.
A living person can donate a kidney, too, if the genetic match is close enough. The donor need not be a relative – a spouse or friend can also volunteer. And now, if enough “couples” of kidney patient and willing donor can be found, then they, if not genetically compatible themselves, can be “paired” with other couples, who can then “swap” kidneys between each other. Altruistic kidney donation, too, has been recently approved in the UK. This means that someone can donate a kidney to a complete stranger, simply because they want to.
Altruism fuels some parts of the NHS, but in others it has been squeezed out. In the past, people would unthinkingly stay late to organise or fix things that would benefit others, for which they would not be paid. This boosted camaraderie and morale, both of which served patients. Now, working life is rigorously accounted for, and junior doctors must go home on time.
Yet altruism is not just good for the recipient, it can also be good for the donor. Giving means that one feels involved and responsible; it means that one has a role worth playing. Blood and bone marrow donors know this, as do kidney donors and families of posthumous donors. The altruism commonly required a generation or two ago – to risk one’s life in the face of disease or war – has all but evaporated. But there is still a place for it, and it is worth a lot.
Margaret McCartney is a GP in Glasgow.
margaret.mccartney@ft.com
By Margaret McCartney
Published: December 6 2008 00:27 | Last updated: December 6 2008 00:27
As an unschooled observer of the money markets, I have been struggling in recent months to understand what anything is actually worth. In healthcare, there is a similar problem, though it makes for rather less exciting headlines. All NHS procedures have to be costed to the last penny, and reported on in “completed care episodes”. But just like financiers, healthcare professionals can’t put an exact price on everything.
Blood, for example, is a commodity given free of charge by people willing to sacrifice time and comfort in order to make a significant difference to someone else. Bone marrow is another “gift”, donated by those who know they will not be repaid financially for being inconvenienced. And then there are the gifts given in the aftermath of death: corneas, kidneys, livers, skin, hearts… all capable of transforming a stranger’s life.
A living person can donate a kidney, too, if the genetic match is close enough. The donor need not be a relative – a spouse or friend can also volunteer. And now, if enough “couples” of kidney patient and willing donor can be found, then they, if not genetically compatible themselves, can be “paired” with other couples, who can then “swap” kidneys between each other. Altruistic kidney donation, too, has been recently approved in the UK. This means that someone can donate a kidney to a complete stranger, simply because they want to.
Altruism fuels some parts of the NHS, but in others it has been squeezed out. In the past, people would unthinkingly stay late to organise or fix things that would benefit others, for which they would not be paid. This boosted camaraderie and morale, both of which served patients. Now, working life is rigorously accounted for, and junior doctors must go home on time.
Yet altruism is not just good for the recipient, it can also be good for the donor. Giving means that one feels involved and responsible; it means that one has a role worth playing. Blood and bone marrow donors know this, as do kidney donors and families of posthumous donors. The altruism commonly required a generation or two ago – to risk one’s life in the face of disease or war – has all but evaporated. But there is still a place for it, and it is worth a lot.
Margaret McCartney is a GP in Glasgow.
margaret.mccartney@ft.com
Saturday, November 22, 2008
NHS Wales News - Health Minister opens new kidney dialysis unit in Cardiff
NHS Wales News - Health Minister opens new kidney dialysis unit in Cardiff
A new kidney dialysis unit, which will increase capacity and improve care for patients, will be officially opened by Health Minister Edwina Hart today [Thursday, 20 November] in Cardiff.
Previously, kidney dialysis patients had access to 16 dialysis stations at outdated facilities at the University Hospital of Wales, Cardiff.
Initially, the new unit opens with 18 dialysis machines, rising to 20 by December and will increase to 24 by March next year, with room to expand.
Roy J. Thomas, Chairman of the Kidney Wales Foundation and Donate Wales campaign, said: "We are fully committed along with the Welsh Assembly Government, to world class renal facilities such as the new dialysis unit in Cardiff across the whole of Wales. Transplant and dialysis treatments in Wales are improving under this government and we are working in partnership to ensure this continues and that more kidney patients and their families in Wales benefit."
A new kidney dialysis unit, which will increase capacity and improve care for patients, will be officially opened by Health Minister Edwina Hart today [Thursday, 20 November] in Cardiff.
Previously, kidney dialysis patients had access to 16 dialysis stations at outdated facilities at the University Hospital of Wales, Cardiff.
Initially, the new unit opens with 18 dialysis machines, rising to 20 by December and will increase to 24 by March next year, with room to expand.
Roy J. Thomas, Chairman of the Kidney Wales Foundation and Donate Wales campaign, said: "We are fully committed along with the Welsh Assembly Government, to world class renal facilities such as the new dialysis unit in Cardiff across the whole of Wales. Transplant and dialysis treatments in Wales are improving under this government and we are working in partnership to ensure this continues and that more kidney patients and their families in Wales benefit."
Generosity of Donors
Generosity of organ donors
Nov 21 2008 by Our Correspondent, South Wales Echo
AS someone who knows first hand how it feels to be given a second chance thanks to the generosity of a donor and to be on the waiting list for a third time needing a kidney transplant, I was disappointed to see the Donor Taskforce in England has rejected the introduction of presumed consent.
Here, the Welsh Assembly Government is taking the lead in addressing the shortage of organ donors and helping save lives by embarking upon a wide-ranging public consultation on presumed consent.
Soft presumed consent still means the family is very much part of the consultation at the time of their loved one’s death and their permission for donation sought – it does not mean organs are taken without permission.
If we have this system in Wales and the rest of UK then many, many more lives can be saved and transformed thanks to the gifts of donors.
Melanie Wager, St Athan
Nov 21 2008 by Our Correspondent, South Wales Echo
AS someone who knows first hand how it feels to be given a second chance thanks to the generosity of a donor and to be on the waiting list for a third time needing a kidney transplant, I was disappointed to see the Donor Taskforce in England has rejected the introduction of presumed consent.
Here, the Welsh Assembly Government is taking the lead in addressing the shortage of organ donors and helping save lives by embarking upon a wide-ranging public consultation on presumed consent.
Soft presumed consent still means the family is very much part of the consultation at the time of their loved one’s death and their permission for donation sought – it does not mean organs are taken without permission.
If we have this system in Wales and the rest of UK then many, many more lives can be saved and transformed thanks to the gifts of donors.
Melanie Wager, St Athan
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Allison wins the ultimate accolade (From Western Telegraph)
Allison wins the ultimate accolade (From Western Telegraph)
Allison John, aged 30, has suffered from health problems since birth and has cystic fibrosis. She has survived four major transplants; in her early teens she had an 11 hour liver transplant and a heart and lung transplant. Her most recent operation came in 2006, when she was diagnosed with kidney failure and was donated one of her father's kidneys.
During the course of her most recent treatment Allison became an ambassador for the Kidney Wales Foundation. Among other things she addressed the House of Lords on presumed consent and helped raise £10,000 as part of the charity's Walk for Life.
Allison John, aged 30, has suffered from health problems since birth and has cystic fibrosis. She has survived four major transplants; in her early teens she had an 11 hour liver transplant and a heart and lung transplant. Her most recent operation came in 2006, when she was diagnosed with kidney failure and was donated one of her father's kidneys.
During the course of her most recent treatment Allison became an ambassador for the Kidney Wales Foundation. Among other things she addressed the House of Lords on presumed consent and helped raise £10,000 as part of the charity's Walk for Life.
Cardiff University Gair Rhydd talks to Allison John
Gair Rhydd
I’m now 30 years old and I was born with Cystic Fibrosis. The main problem with Cystic Fibrosis is that it causes progressive damage to the lungs. However, about 10% get liver disease too, and unfortunately I was one of them. By the time I was 15 my liver was cirrhosed and I needed a liver transplant.
I’m now 30 years old and I was born with Cystic Fibrosis. The main problem with Cystic Fibrosis is that it causes progressive damage to the lungs. However, about 10% get liver disease too, and unfortunately I was one of them. By the time I was 15 my liver was cirrhosed and I needed a liver transplant.
Monday, November 17, 2008
Evening News 24 [text only news and sport]
Evening News 24 [text only news and sport]
A man whose life was saved by a kidney transplant has backed calls urging the government to change the law on organ donation even though a panel of experts has rejected the idea of "presumed consent".
Earlier in the year the government backed a movement towards presumed consent - which would see everyone put on the organ donors register unless they choose to opt out - but a new report rules out the scheme.
The UK Organ Donation Taskforce said assuming organs could be used unless people opted out was unlikely to boost donation rates.
A man whose life was saved by a kidney transplant has backed calls urging the government to change the law on organ donation even though a panel of experts has rejected the idea of "presumed consent".
Earlier in the year the government backed a movement towards presumed consent - which would see everyone put on the organ donors register unless they choose to opt out - but a new report rules out the scheme.
The UK Organ Donation Taskforce said assuming organs could be used unless people opted out was unlikely to boost donation rates.
BBC NEWS | Health | Presumed consent 'not ruled out'
BBC NEWS | Health | Presumed consent 'not ruled out'
Gordon Brown is not ruling out a change in the law on organ donation even though a panel of experts has rejected the idea of "presumed consent".
The UK has one of the lowest organ donation rates in Europe.
There are currently around 8,000 people in the UK who need an organ transplant but only 3,000 operations are carried out each year.
Every year, 1,000 people in the UK die after waiting for a transplant.
Currently, people must sign up to the organ donor register - or their families must agree - before their organs can be used.
Gordon Brown is not ruling out a change in the law on organ donation even though a panel of experts has rejected the idea of "presumed consent".
The UK has one of the lowest organ donation rates in Europe.
There are currently around 8,000 people in the UK who need an organ transplant but only 3,000 operations are carried out each year.
Every year, 1,000 people in the UK die after waiting for a transplant.
Currently, people must sign up to the organ donor register - or their families must agree - before their organs can be used.
BBC NEWS | Health | No Surprise English Donor 'opt-out' proposal rejected
BBC NEWS | Health | Donor 'opt-out' proposal rejected
It is not a surprise that the English/UK Taskforce has ignored 1,000 patients who die waiting for a transplant every year in the UK.The lack of imagination and failures in the English NHS should not be read as the same in Wales or Scotland who are prepared save lives and not give excuses as to why this change cannot be implemented.The Taskforce was packed with those against. Anyone who was for was ignored or not invited.
Any change to the system would involve amending the Human Tissue Act of 2004.
Research by the Intensive Care Society suggests many specialists are worried that such a move would damage the trust between patients and doctors. This is an "image" issue.
A report recommending a radical overhaul of the UK organ donor network in a bid to double the number of organs available for transplant, has already been published by the Organ Donor Taskforce, and is being implemented in Wales.
The latest recommendations on presumed consent are not binding and the government in Westminster,Wales Scotland and NI who could decide to press ahead with changes to the legislation.
It is not a surprise that the English/UK Taskforce has ignored 1,000 patients who die waiting for a transplant every year in the UK.The lack of imagination and failures in the English NHS should not be read as the same in Wales or Scotland who are prepared save lives and not give excuses as to why this change cannot be implemented.The Taskforce was packed with those against. Anyone who was for was ignored or not invited.
Any change to the system would involve amending the Human Tissue Act of 2004.
Research by the Intensive Care Society suggests many specialists are worried that such a move would damage the trust between patients and doctors. This is an "image" issue.
A report recommending a radical overhaul of the UK organ donor network in a bid to double the number of organs available for transplant, has already been published by the Organ Donor Taskforce, and is being implemented in Wales.
The latest recommendations on presumed consent are not binding and the government in Westminster,Wales Scotland and NI who could decide to press ahead with changes to the legislation.
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