Renal patients up until 1978 had to move to mainland Scotland for haemodialysis. Memory goes back to 1973 when Frederick “Freddie” Watson, trouble all his younger life with kidney problems had to settle in Aberdeen for his haemodialysis when the treatment was required. Freddie was on haemodialysis for 24 years and in that time underwent 4 kidney transplants, the longest lasting seven months. He died aged 48.

The next patient we are aware of requiring haemodialysis was Angus MacIver, who was attending the renal unit at Raigmore hospital, Inverness, in 1978. By this time a new renal unit had been established at the hospital. Angus must have been resigned to settling in the Inverness are because when I visited him at Raigmore hospital he had established a beautiful floral garden against the brick wall of the wartime-built ward that was the renal unit. Angus, who was a very popular man in the Carloway district of Lewis on the west side of the island, inspired people there to set up a fund for a personal dialysis unit to be established at his home.

The Western Isles Kidney Machine Trust was set up.

Around this time two other patients were diagnosed with oncoming renal failure so it was agreed that the dialysis unit would be situated within a portacabin at the rear of the Stornoway hospital, a much more central position for all concerned. During 1978 the portacabin was in situ and Angus was joined by the second dialysis patient John Murdo Macleod, followed shortly afterwards by Normal Macleod.

Apart from the supply of the materials necessary for dialysis, all the attendant nursing work, the setting up of the machine, cannulating the patient and sterilising the unit afterwards was all done by the families. Angus was attended by Mary Macaskill, his sister, who’s valuable nursing experience was passed on to Kate, the wife of John Murdo, and to Kirsty and Alice’s sisters and Frances, sister in law to Norman Macleod.

By 1985 all the patients on haemodialysis had died. The Gambro dialysis machine was mothballed, and the Western Isles Kidney Machine Trust became dormant.

However, in 2001 there was recognised that a new renal unit was needed at the new hospital in Stornoway as 4 patients now were being flown to Raigmore hospital for haemodialysis on Mondays and not returning home until Friday.

In this year on the 5^th day of April 2001, due to the insight and efforts of Mr Martin Macleod and Mr Peter MacDonald the Western Isles Kidney Patient Association (WIKPA) was formed. They recruited a committee and at the inaugural meeting Martin was appointed Chairman and Peter, secretary.

Martin and Peter had realised that there was a serious lack of information available in the Western Isles regarding diseases of the kidney. Martin’s child was suffering renal failure but has subsequently had a successful transplant and Peter himself had a transplant.

WIKPA then set about raising funds to give grants to kidney patients and their families for contingencies which were not covered by the NHS. They also financially assisted patients that had to be taken suddenly to mainland hospital for check-ups or have their houses altered to contain peritoneal dialysis equipment. They also began raising awareness in the island community of kidney problems and the forms of treatment available.

As a group WIKPA then decided to exert pressure on the local health board to install a health board run dialysis unit at the Western Isles hospital. After 6 years the group were successful and this new unit was opened in 2007 by Mr Donald MacDonald of Timsgarry, Uig, one of the patients.

Today, early 2019, there are 13 patients receiving haemodialysis in the local renal unit and now WIKPA are proud to be able to support patients throughout the Western Isles, from Lewis and Harris to Uist and Barra.