2010 World Kidney Day

Kidney Health NZ and staff from Wellington Hospital spent a day in Parliament recently taking parliamentarians blood pressures and urine protein tests to test kidney function.

We were kept very busy taking over 100 blood and protein tests.

 

Carmel Gregan-Ford, Education Manager for Kidney Health NZ taking the blood pressure of MP Amy Adams. 

 

Miranda Walker, Renal Nurse, taking the blood pressure of MP Simon Bridges.

 

Hon Tau Henare having his blood pressure taken.

 Hon Mita Ririnui having his blood pressure taken.

 

2010 Pasifika

Kidney Health New Zealand and staff from Auckland DHB Renal Unit had a stand at Pasifika 2010 in Auckland where more than 200,000 people attended.  Staff were kept busy taking blood pressures and raising awareness to one of our high risk groups.

 

A renal nurse taking a blood pressure, one of the checks for kidney disease.  Pacific and Maori people have a high incidence of diabetes and as a consequence kidney disease.

 

Staff with a patient from Wellington Hospital celebrating World Kidney Day.

 

Staff from Wellington Hospital celebrating World Kidney Day on Thursday 11 March 2010.

 

World Kidney Day 12 March 2009

 

During World Kidney Week Carmel and staff from Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch and Dunedin Hospitals visited staff at Lion Nathan and took blood pressures and did urine protein tests to test kidney health.

 

Stars Visit Dialysis Clinic

Stars Visit Dialysis Clinic Rugby Legend Michael Jones and decorated military hero Tana Fatu visited the renal clinic at Wellington Hospital recently. The two, each a hero in their own way, brought messages of hope to dialysis patients who are fighting their own heroic battles.

 

Pictured above: from left Michael Jones, Tana Fatu and real patient Jo




Michael Jones (pictured above, meeting kidney patient Reg) is widely acknowledged as one of the greatest All Blacks of all time, playing 55 tests in the black jersey and scoring 13 test tries. In 2003 he was inducted into the international Rugby Hall of Fame. His sincerity, charisma and the depth of his convictions have seen Michael Jones remain a greatly admired household name to this day.



Private Tana (Jonathon) Fatu (above, with renal patient Bob) is not a household name - but in many ways he exemplifies the archetype of an unassuming kiwi hero. In 2007 Tana Fatu received the Distinguished Service Decoration for the bravery he displayed in saving the lives of two fellow soldiers after a mishap during a live firing exercise at Waiouru. He has also served the New Zealand Army in Afghanistan. In February 2009 he will be setting off on a 400km fundraising walk from Porirua to Palmerston North and back, organised by the Kidney Patient Support Network.



"Support and fundraising by high calibre and high profile people like Michael and Tana means a great deal to everyone involved in the care of kidney patients," says Dr Grant Pidgeon, the Clinical Leader of Renal Services of C&C DHB (pictured above, left, with Michael Jones).

"A hospital can meet the main health needs of these patients. But there are other social and lifestyle needs which benefit greatly from the fundraising done by organisations such as Kidney Patient Network, " Dr Pidgeon says.





Staff from the Renal Unit competed in the 80km Long Bays Classic held Saturday 6 December 2008