HOSPITAL staff will bring Bollywood to the Christmas parade tomorrow as they continue to highlight the need for an upgrade of the renal dialysis unit with their renal Christmas Bollywood style themed float.
Full of colour, the Bollywood dancers, who caused a sensation at the recent hospital ball, will dance through the Blue Lake city on the float and in the Cave Gardens for the Party in the Park.
The major gift campaign to raise funds towards the upgrade now totals over $53,000 with two recent donations from the Church of Christ with $1000 and the Uniting Church with $500.
“We are extremely grateful for these generous donations and the many others received to date with all monies raised deposited and held in the Mount Gambier Health Advisory Council Gift Fund Trust,” fundraising coordinator Maureen Klintberg said.
Recently holding discussions with Health Minister Peter Malinauskas and Shadow Health Minister Stephen Wade in Mount Gambier, Ms Klintberg said they would continue to highlight the need for the long overdue upgrade.
“Currently there are 16 patients undergoing dialysis for four hours, three times a week, plus there are a number of patients who will most likely require dialysis in the near future,” she said.
“Another 200 patients are being screened with chronic kidney disease in the South East.”
Meeting with many patients undergoing dialysis at the Mount Gambier Hospital, and those who have home dialysis and peritoneal dialysis, Ms Klintberg said she has learnt chronic kidney disease patients face many ongoing health issues that affect not only them, but their carers.
“There is obviously the need for a support group in the South East to assist them in a range of areas and as a result I have been liaising with Kidney Health Australia to provide us with assistance on how to access information and support,” she said.
“We hope to launch this group at a community forum in the new year.”
Contact Ms Klintberg on 0438 010 780 if you are interested in becoming a member of a support group or would like to donate to the renal upgrade appeal.
