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10 Mar 2011 08:31:55
University of Bedfordshire experts are joining forces with local kidney patients to support World Kidney Day today (Thursday, 10 March).
Professor
Gurch Randhawa, Director of the Institute for Health Research at the
University, is a world-renowned expert on kidney health and is joining with
local patient Kirit Modi to raise awareness at the Luton and Dunstable Hospital.
Kirit, who had a kidney transplant ten years ago and is a committee member of the Lister Kidney Foundation, said: “We want to encourage everyone to protect their kidneys by looking after their heart and having their kidney function checked by their doctor regularly. We also want more people, particularly those from Black and Ethnic Minority backgrounds, to consider becoming a donor.
“We will have lots of information available at the stand as well as kidney patients who will be able to share their experiences. We should aim to eliminate the current waiting list for kidneys in this country so that nobody dies because they have not had a transplant”.
The duo will be at an information stand in the main hospital foyer between 10am and 4pm. Professor Randhawa, who was also a Member of the Government’s Organ Donation Taskforce, said: “If you are from the South Asian and Black community and live with diabetes, you are then ten times more likely to develop kidney disease than a White person living with diabetes.
“Our research shows a lack of awareness among the population about diabetes risk factors. We also know that minority ethnic communities are less likely to donate their organs.
“This means that individuals from these communities may have to wait twice as long as a Caucasian person for a kidney transplant.
“With more than 10,000 people in the UK currently needing a transplant and on average three people dying every day before an organ becomes available, we need to act now by signing onto the Organ Donor Register as well as informing our loved ones of our decision so that they may honour our end-of-life wishes.”
World Kidney Day is celebrated in nearly 100 countries. For more information go to worldkidneyday.co.uk
Latest news» 2011» March» Uni experts join with kidney patients to support World Kidney Day
