Supporting kidney
disease patients
The Tunbridge Wells Kidney Fund has helped to buy new and innovative
equipment to improve patient care and outcomes at the Kidney Treatment
Centre in Tunbridge Wells, a service run by Guy’s and St Thomas’.
Helen Sargison decided to run the 2017 London Marathon for the Tunbridge
Wells Kidney Treatment Centre to say thank you for the support given to her
father David Sargison who was diagnosed with kidney disease in 1999.
David’s kidney function had been rapidly decreasing over a number of years.
His kidney disease was diagnosed following a biopsy at Guy’s in 1999. In
February 2016, Helen’s mother Marcia was assessed as a compatible kidney
donor and the go-ahead for transplant surgery was given. David’s kidney
function improved dramatically within a few hours.
David said: ‘Since the transplant surgery, my kidney function has been far
higher than it was before my initial diagnosis in 1999. I now feel far less tired
than I have for many years, I have renewed energy and enthusiasm for life and
I’ve even done some gentle digging on my allotment! I can’t be grateful enough
to Guy’s Kidney Department and, of course, to my wife and daughter’.
Helen wanted the money she raised running the Marathon to be specifically
used to support the Kidney Treatment Centre.
Thanks to supporters like Helen, the team have been able to buy new and
more efficient machines to measure blood pressure and check patients’ oxygen
saturation level.
Although Helen said preparing for the marathon
took many months and a lot of hard work, in the end
she managed to raise an enormous amount of £6,993.
I felt immensely proud to have been
able to run the Marathon for such a
remarkable charity.
Sign up for an event at
www.supportgstt.org.uk/events
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New
James Dunn at the new centre with his parents Lesley
and Kenny, far left, clinical nurse specialist Chris Bloor
and Professor Jemima Mellerio
Rare Diseases Centre
Patients from across the UK with rare conditions can now be treated in a
brand new facility at St Thomas’, thanks to donations
The Rare Diseases Centre at St Thomas’ Hospital is the first of its kind in the
UK to provide a space designed for adults and children with life-long genetic
and skin conditions that affect many organs in the body. The new centre brings
together several specialist services in one place, saving time and improving
patient experience.
James Dunn, 24 from Liverpool, has the skin condition epidermolysis bullosa
and was one of the first patients to be seen at the Rare Diseases Centre. He said:
‘The centre is very bright, modern and spacious. I love the communal area
– it’s more open and sociable now. It’s brilliant that, for the first time, we have
our own space and everything we need is done here without moving around –
it makes life much easier.’
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