Margie Raynor - Marathon cyclist and one Kidney Health Australia's significant fundraisers is an Adelaide school teacher who was awarded her KHA 'Angel' status in 2009, in recognition of her extensive efforts to to see kidney disease bought to the fore since first cycling for kidney disease across the Nullarbor in 2005. Since then she has cycled approx 33,000 kilometres around Australia. She has now done three Nullarbor crossings (approx 2800 kms each), a trip from Adelaide to Darwin (4,500 kms) and cycled around Australia (19.200 kms). Each ride has raised thousands of dollars for Kidney Health Australia along the way. Margie visits schools and community groups to highlight the need for optimal kidney health. See her Renal Ride website for more details.
With this experience in hand, Margie will now cycle from Adelaide to Sydney via Canberra in yet another epic solo journey. Margie's Renal Ride Sydney 2010 is a continuation of her fight to see the 2 million Australians who are currently unaware that they have kidney disease avoid costly dialysis, a long wait for a transplant or even death. She believes that she will be the first person to cycle around and across Australia both vertically and horizontally. Read more on Margie's fantastic fundraising adventures at our Fundraising Events webpage.
Presentations in 2008 - our 40th Anniversary Year
Steve Attard has been involved with Kidney Health Australia’s Consumer Participation Committee since it’s inception over 5 years ago and is the current SA Chair representing consumers on a national level. Steve is also a member of The Queen Elizabeth and Royal Adelaide Hospitals renal unit merger committee and a strong advocate for improving transport issues renal patients face. Diagnosed at 15 with chronic kidney disease, in 1984 at the age of 16 he began dialysis. In 2006 after 22 years on dialysis he received a kidney transplant and last month celebrated it’s 2nd birthday!
Kirsten Dermody is a clinical nurse consultant at Flinders Medical Centre. Her involvement in renal nursing over the last 11 years has enabled her to travel and work all over Australia, she is a long standing member of the Renal Society of Australasia and in 2005 was elected President of the South Australia and Northern Territory branch.
Nancy Douglas-Irving and Enzo Scipioni established Dialysis Escape Line Australia in 1998. This organisation gives renal patients freedom from their every day surrounds by offering them the opportunity to holiday around Australia and even on a cruise ship. Nancy and Enzo arrange the set up of a temporary dialysis unit in holiday areas where dialysis is not available. Not only do they organise holidays but they also provide information, education, and physical and emotional support.
Their unique and heavenly service to the community has grown quickly over a very short time and now has a dedicated committee of volunteers. Together, Nancy and Enzo represent over 19 years of experience on dialysis and although they both have since been transplanted they continue to be dedicated to this program.
Kirsten volunteers a lot of her time and effort into the running of the society as well as assisting in organising many educational events for renal nurses and allied health staff and in 2008 was recognised by the RSA for her outstanding contribution by awards for both state and federal RSA Member of the Year.
Di Godfrey was one of Australia’s first Renal Technicians and commenced her renal career at the Royal Adelaide Hospital at 17. After marrying her husband Brian, and moving back to Berri where she grew up, Di assisted in setting up the Berri Renal Unit solely for renal patients on holiday, until it became a satellite renal unit. Di also adores teaching and regularly conducts renal education sessions for all staff at the satellite unit in Berri. Di’s peers and patients attest to her celestial qualities as she always puts the needs of her renal clients first.
Jeff Lang is a long time volunteer at Kidney Health Australia and a member of the SA Consumer Participation Committee and is also a regular guest speaker at community groups and workplaces on behalf of Kidney Health Australia. When speaking to groups about becoming an Organ Donor, Jeff finds it gratifying to know that they appreciate the knowledge of a person who has been through the whole process of the South Australian Renal system.
Jeff was the founding member of a peer support group Kidney Connect in South Australia, which has many volunteer supporters throughout Australia giving support to kidney patients. Jeff receives a great deal of satisfaction from helping others on how to cope with the many aspects of Kidney disease.
Roxanne Perry has been involved in renal nursing since 1995 and is currently the Nursing Unit Head of the dialysis/renal unit at the Women’s and Children Hospital. She has presented at multiple renal conferences over the years and helped to care for many children and families with end stage renal disease, dialysis and transplant in SA and NT.
Kidney Health Australia has been blessed with Roxanne’s angel qualities since 2002 when she assisted in reviewing our health resources and joined our kid’s camp and capers planning committee and her efforts in organising the last 4 kid’s camps and capers have been invaluable.
Our Angels honoured in 2006
Gerry Hancock is a retired businessman who became the oldest South Australian live donor at 70 when he donated a kidney to his eldest grandchild, Candice.
Candice was diagnosed with polycystic kidney failure in 2003 and it was estimated that she would probably have five years before she would require dialysis or transplant. However, by January 2004 her creatinine count has risen dramatically to the stage where the need for dialysis became a more immediate reality.
Candice’s family members were tested for compatibility for live organ donation and Gerry was found to be compatible. For a period of four months Gerry and Candice underwent numerous tests, before transplant surgery performed by A/Professor Mohan Rao in June 2004.
Both Candice, now an appreciate chef and Gerry are doing well after the transplant. Gerry has recently returned from four weeks’ travel in the United States and Canada and leads an active life taking his boat out at least once a week. He believes anyone contemplating donating a kidney should carefully consider what they are committing to and then ‘go for it’. “This commitment is probably one of the most satisfying contributions you can make. It not only creates a truly wonderful bond with the recipient, it truly bonds you closer to your family and friends as well.”
A/Professor Mohan Rao BSc, MS, MCh, FACS, FRACS was the first trainee in renal transplantation surgery at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital from January 1968 to January 1971. He was trained by Mr Peter Knight who started the transplant program in Adelaide.
Soon after his return to India, he performed the first successful kidney transplant in India at the Christian Medical College Hospital, Vellore. After he established the first transplant unit in India, he helped other Institutions. He played a key role in the establishment of renal transplantation in India. Renal transplantation as a clinical service is now widely available and affordable. In recognition of his role in initiating renal transplantation in India, he was awarded ‘Life Time Achievement Award’ by the Indian Society of Organ Transplantation in 1997.
He rejoined the transplant team at Queen Elizabeth Hospital in 1976. With his vast experience with live donor transplantation, the live donor program recommenced at the QEH. He was involved with every live donor transplant and the majority of deceased donor transplants in South Australia. He was responsible for the surgery and management of the surgical complications both during the immediate post-operative period as well as long-term. With his previous training in general surgery and urology he was able to provide an ‘in-house’ service and graft losses from surgical complications were minimal. This unit provides a statewide service for South Australia and the Northern Territory. Seventy to ninety transplants are performed in a year, of which a third are from live donors. He also provides his services to the Women and Children’s Hospital and has done most of the paediatric transplants.
He has a keen interest in live donor operations and has introduced procedures to reduce the post-operative morbidity and so that the recovery is quicker. His most significant contribution is the introduction of keyhole surgery to remove kidneys. This procedure was first performed in Australia at the QEH in 1997 (just 14 months after the first operation in USA). The length of hospital stay after this surgery has now dropped to 48 hours and some are able to go home within 24 hours.
The initial response from the professional community was guarded but it is now the preferred method. This unit attracted patients from other states and still does. It attracted lot of media attention. While other units in this country select their donor, every live donor is offered this procedure at QEH Adelaide. Mohan has helped other teams in this country and introduced this technique to India, Malaysia and China. He is often invited by our neighbouring countries to conduct workshops or take part in their scientific meetings. He has trained surgeons here and many from overseas in this field. He is an experienced, innovative surgeon.
Diane Schulze was transplanted with a kidney in September 1971 at the age of 20.
Diane is inspirational to many other patients on dialysis, as her transplant is the second longest lasting kidney transplant in Adelaide (the other is a few months older).
Diane is a much loved mother and a creative home economist. She is married to Graeme and they have been very lucky to have had children since her transplant.