Kidney patients, hospital staff, NHS officials and relatives gathered on Wednesday July 31st in the Renal Unit at Western Isles Hospital to welcome the presentation of two cheques for money to buy two additional dialysis machines for the unit.

They were welcomed by NHS Western Isles chief executive Gordon Jamieson who praised the work of the charities in making life easier for kidney patients on the islands and welcomed how the event was being attended not only by those on dialysis but by those who been on dialysis and subsequently had transplants.

Colin Scott Mackenzie, former procurator-fiscal, spoke of the work of the Western Isles Kidney Machine Trust, established in 1965.  He is the last of the original trustees still to be involved with it.  He presented a cheque for £12,000 for one machine to Mr Jamieson and explained that their remaining funds would now be transferred to the Western Isles Kidney Patients Association.

On behalf of WIKPA, Angus ‘Texie’ Macleod, former harbour-master, spoke of the need for more kidneys to be available for transplants following the replacement of the opt-in system for transplants with an opt-out system – more than 6,000 people are awaiting transplants.  He thanked the enthusiastic members of the WIKPA for raising £12,000 for another kidney machine.

Also involved in the presentation was WIKPA treasurer Angus MacDonald.

Source: WeloveStornoway