Kidney Information Evening

The organiser of the Kilcullen participation in the upcoming Womens Mini Marathon on behalf of the Punchestown Kidney Research Fund has appealed for 'spare' registrations for the event.

Phena Bermingham says that the PKRF now has some 75 participants, but a number of them came on board after the closing of registrations for the marathon.

"If anyone has a registration that they don't intend to use, we'd be very grateful for them," she told the Diary this week, following the very successful Information Evening held in the Parish Centre on Monday.

Speakers at the meeting included PKRF founder and kidney transplant recipient James Nolan, Darren Cawley from Mayo who requires regular dialysis, and Hillary Moss, coordinator of the art therapy programme in Tallaght Hospital, where the PKRF funds art in the Dialysis Unit.

James Nolan reminded those attending about the aims of the charity, of making people aware of the need to carry Organ Donor cards and supporting a number of initiatives to make life easier for those suffering from renal failure.

In addition to the art programme in Tallaght and in Waterford, the fund has bought a holiday home for dialysis patients in Tralee, provided support for cancer screening of transplant recipients, and sponsoring Irish athletes for the International Transplant Games.

The PKRF is hoping to fund a specialist doctor at Temple Street Childrens Hospital for children born with renal failure. James Nolan said he has a commitment from the HSE that if the fund supports the appointment for one year, the HSE will continue it afterwards.

Darren Cawley described how his life has been affected since his kidneys gave out ten years ago. Requiring dialysis three times a week, he has already had a transplant which failed after two years. He's still waiting for a new match. Despite the restrictions on his lifestyle, he lives a full life. Last year he achieved an ambition by being accepted as an escort for the Rose of Tralee Festival.

Hillary Moss reported how the art programme in the Dialysis Unit in Tallaght helps to alleviate the boredom of long hours hooked up to the life-saving equipment. The support provided by the PKRF had also helped shift the focus from patient to a new skill.

Ending the proceedings, James Nolan repeated the now-familiar mantra, 'don't take your organs to heaven, because heaven knows we need them here on earth'.

Donor cards are available in Nolan’s and from the charity's website.


Brian Byrne.
(From information reported by Eleanor Farmer.)