Sponsored walk to support Dr Cullis and the
KwaZulu Natal PeritonDialysis Project
Supported by the EDKPA
Dear friend,
We have decided to have a sponsored walk to support Dr Cullis in his work with the KwaZulu Natal Peritoneal Dialysis Project.
If you would like to take part in the walk you would be very welcome. We are using the ‘Just Giving’ website for sponsorship and donations (see link above).
You can also send these to Mark Harrison, Treasurer, 45, Beech Road, Willand, Cullompton, Devon, EX15 2SD. Jean Aplin will provide soft drinks, tea and coffee at here house and we suggest that you might like to bring a picnic to have at the end.
The route will take in the Grand Western Canal and the old rail line in Tiverton, the whole route is about three miles BUT you can do what you feel able to complete. To take part please contact Roger Ashelford on 01823 270373 or email at family.ashelford@virgin.net
More details about the project:
KwaZulu Natal is a province of South Africa with a largely rural population. Kidney dialysis is only offered to patients under the age of 60 who have no other significant medical problems. There is little hope of a transplant and so dialysis is the only option. Unfortunately due to limited numbers of machines patients are only able to dialyse twice a week and as a result are under dialysed and so feel unwell. Many of the patients travel a considerable distance to dialyse and often have to pay for the transport themselves. It is impossible for them to work or attend school even though they wish to.
This is the story of one boy who Dr Cullis hopes to help.
Later this year Dr Brett Cullis, one of the renal consultants from the Exeter Kidney Unit will be travelling to South Africa to spend six months setting up a peritoneal dialysis service to allow patients like Nosipho, to dialyse at home. This will allow them to receive adequate dialysis so they feel better in themselves and potentially can work to help feed their families. Aside form setting up the service he will training specialist nurses and doctors in the principles of peritoneal dialysis so they can take these skills out into the rural communities.
The Exeter Kidney Unit is kindly offering support to the project, but funding is still needed for textbooks and teaching materials, water purification tablets, a training model, scales and other necessary equipment. This walk will help support Dr Cullis' efforts.
| See below for some of the people this project will help: |
 | This is Nosipho Khuboni he is a 15yr old boy who lives in a very rural area called Kokstad. His father has recently died and his mother who used to be a domestic worker had to stop working when he became ill. He lives in a mud hut with 4 siblings and 4 step siblings and gets his water from a nearby river. It takes three days for him to travel to and from each dialysis session and as a result he only spends one day a week at home and cannot attend school.
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 | Thandeka Mbanjwa is a 19 year old young lady who has a 2 year old child. She lives in a mud hut and has no running water or electricity. She gets very little support from her family and uses her disability grant to feed herself and her daughter, as well as getting herself to dialysis twice a week. Despite her problems she is always cheerful and compliant with her dialysis |
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Mr. Jabulani Mwelase has been on haemodialysis for the past 7 years. He has to hitch hike 74 miles each way, often having to pay up to R50 (one fifth of his disability benefit) to the truck drivers that pick him up. Despite this he always attends and spends his time there helping out with chores in order to help renal unit staff. He is well educated but is unable to work because of the time spent travelling to and from dialysis. |
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Thank you.