Our Angels in Western Australia
Presentations in 2008 - our 40th Anniversary Year
Paul Andrews MLA is the Australian Labor Party Member for Southern River and is a supporter of Kidney Health Australia. His advice, attendance at Kidney Health Australia functions, and lobbying for Kidney Health Australia in parliament is invaluable. He works to lift organ donation rates and helps with community awareness of kidney disease and is committed to helping people with kidney disease and raises issues in the right arena.
Professor Paolo Ferrari is a Director at the Department of Nephrology at Fremantle Hospital. Paolo contributes to Kidney Health Australia’s activities through his support for education of GPs and his presence on Kidney Health Australia’s committees, such as the Medical and Scientific Advisory Sub-Committee. He is lead on the WA Health Department Renal Network and also pioneered Paired Exchange in Australia. He is a strong supporter of Kidney Health Australia and is highly regarded in the renal community.
Graham Herbert has been a volunteer with Kidney Health Australia for more than ten years. He initiated and maintains the Dialysis Unit Guide and commits one day per week to working at Kidney Health Australia. He was the chairman of the WA Consumer Participation Committee from 2005 to 2008 and still participates on the committee as a consumer.
Paul Kitson has been an active volunteer for 14 years and has given 3-4 days a week of his time over this period. He is a member of the WA Consumer Participation Committee and through his Dialysis and Renal Transplant involvement he shows concern for, and supports, patients in renal units in WA.
Doctor Mark Thomas is a renal physician at Royal Perth Hospital and has been a long-term supporter of Kidney Health Australia, having sat on committees, presented at GP education nights, consumer forums, and attended functions. He is very well liked in his field by professionals and consumers and is seen as a contributor to the renal community.
Our Angels in WA for 2006
Laurie Birchall was the primary carer for his wife who was on peritoneal dialysis at home for many years. During this time Laurie would get up early in the morning to clean the house and fetch the paper ready for when his wife awoke. She later had to go onto haemodialysis at Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital where Laurie stayed with her during her time on dialysis, helping renal staff and patients in the unit. Laurie has a great sense of humour and brought smiles and laughter during his visits.
After his wife’s death Laurie approached Kidney Health Australia to become a volunteer to provide support to other patients like his wife, to help decrease the burden of kidney disease and became involved in our Kidney Care program. Laurie visits patients at Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital every Thursday to help them pass time on dialysis. The renal staff that tended Laurie’s wife are happy to see him help in the unit.
Margaret Cassell a Kidney Care Volunteer since March 2001, had kidney problems as a young person and this inspired her to volunteer for Kidney Health Australia. Margaret regularly volunteers at the Armadale Satellite Dialysis Unit and visits patients twice a week.
Margaret far exceeds the 8 hours a month expected of Kidney Care volunteers. Patients tell stories of the times that Margaret has entertained them through her hobby of belly dancing.
She is a bright and cheerful person who loves to give up her time for others. Margaret also volunteers her time to Princess Margaret Hospital for Children, the Childrens Ward at Armadale Health Centre and the Armadale Police Station.
Sue Bird has been involved with the Kidney Health Australia for over 11 years – primarily as a volunteer and subsequently as a Kidney Care Coordinator in Western Australia since 1999. She is truly an Angel – not only for the leadership that she provides in coordinating and training other volunteers, but also as an inspirational example of giving her time and resources to help others living with kidney disease.
Diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at 7 years of age, in her early thirties she discovered she had kidney disease. It was initially controlled through blood sugar regulation, blood pressure control and diet. Because haemodialysis was not a preferred option, Sue commenced on continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) in 1992 following her relocation to Perth in Western Australia. CAPD involves draining a special fluid into the peritoneal cavity through a soft, plastic tube that is then drained out a few hours later. This has to be done 4 times a day to clean her blood and to enable fluid balance. Sue has been on PD for 13 years, which maybe a WA record.
While she was a volunteer at Kidney Health Australia, Sue helped to develop a new program for patients called Kidney Care. Kidney Care is a program that provides companionship and assistance mainly to people on haemodialysis, through volunteers visiting patients in hospital and satellite dialysis units. Once the program was piloted and established, Sue coordinated volunteers and liaised with renal units making Kidney Care a success. Because of the success of this program and the rate it was growing Sue was employed on a part time basis to coordinate the program in Western Australia.
Sue’s excellent work with the Kidney Care Program in WA, was acknowledged by the NHMRC (National Health and Medical Research Council’s) with the state Gold Award for Direct Service Provision in 2001. Sue is a very strong supporter of the WA patient support group - DART (Dialysis and Renal Transplant Association). She has also worked in partnership with well-known nephrologists in Perth, talking to med students and registrars to provide a consumer’s perspective on issues of diabetes and peritoneal dialysis. Sue joined the WA State Committee in 1997 and a member of the WA Consumer Participation Committee since its inception in 2004.
All the Kidney Care volunteers look up to Sue for her bravery and courage and all that she has accomplished whilst living with diabetes and kidney disease and is an inspirational Angel to all who know and work with her.