Who we are

A brief history of dialysis in the Western Isles
Renal patients up until 1978 always had to move to mainland Scotland for haemo- dialysis. Angus Maciver, who was attending the renal unit at Raigmore hospital, Inverness, in 1978, was a very popular man in the Carloway district of Lewis. He inspired local 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 as a result.

The Beginnings

The important people in the history of dialysis in the Western Isles

WIKPA Formation
During 2001 the Western Isles Kidney Patients Association (WIKPA) was formed primarily as a fund-raising group to assist financially, patients who had to suddenly be taken to mainland hospitals for renal check-ups or have their houses altered to contain peritoneal dialysis equipment. It is surprising just how little funding is available for emergencies such as this.