Kilcullen link to Wexford art exhibition by dialysis patients

James Nolan, Chairperson PKRF; Maeve Butler, Assistant Director, Réalta/Waterford Healing Arts; Kate Murphy, Artist; Pauline Atkinson, The Ballagh, Patient & Chair of the Wexford Branch of the Irish Kidney Association (IKA); Claire Meaney, Director, Réalta/Waterford Healing Arts; Carolann Flynn, Interim Unit Manager, Catherine Nunan, Clinical Nurse Specialist and Mary Coyne, Staff Nurse, BBraun Wellstone Wexford Renal Care Centre. Photos by Padraig Grant.

An art exhibition by renal dialysis patients in Wexford is the result of a pilot programme funded by the Punchestown Kidney Research Fund, founded by Kilcullen's James Nolan, writes Brian Byrne. Making My Mark has opened at BBraun Wexford Wellstone Renal Care Centre, which accommodates some 60 chronic renal dialysis patients from the south-east of Ireland every week.

The artworks were created between February and June under the direction of artist Kate Murphy and the programme was managed by the staff of the Renal Care Centre, in partnership with Réalta/Waterford Healing Arts. The Wexford centre is a satellite unit to University Hospital Waterford (UHW) where Réalta/Waterford Healing Arts has been delivering a wide range of arts and health programmes for decades, including a highly successful Arts Programme in Renal Dialysis.

James Nolan, Chairperson of PKRF, himself a former dialysis patient and a kidney transplant recipient, complimented all involved in what he described as a 'very positive story'. "From the Punchestown Kidney Research Fund point of view, we made a small donation, but the team here have reaped the maximum from this for the benefit of the patients. It is having such a positive impact and improving the quality of life of all the patients, not only during their dialysis sessions, but in their lives."

Kate Murphy, who had been nominated for the programme by the Wexford Arts Officer, thanked the teams at Wellstone Wexford and at Réalta/Waterford Healing Arts. She congratulated the patients who had taken part, saying it had been lovely to spend time with them. Claire Meaney, Director of Réalta/Waterford Healing Arts, said it had been a beautiful project in a wonderful, bright space. "We are thrilled to have been involved in this project and to see the work created by the patients here, and we look forward to continuing to offer our support to future projects in any way that we can." She thanked PKRF for their generous support in providing the essential funds to run the programme and understanding the importance of this type of project for renal dialysis patients.

Participants in the programme Mary Mernagh, Gorey; Tom McCarthy, Kiltealy; Deirdre Cleary, Ballymitty; Artist Kate Murphy, Wexford; Ben Kelly, Gorey; Walter Kent, Fethard and John Brooks, Enniscorthy.

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