Help coming for Kidney patients

At long last, persons with kidney disease can have haemodialysis performed in St Vincent and the Grenadines.{{more}}

However, the life saving treatment, which is being provided by a private medical facility, may not be affordable for some persons – a situation the Kidney Restorative Foundation of St Vincent is working hard to address.

In an effort to raise funds, the Foundation will host a family event this June.

Featuring the actors from Stages Jamaica, the event, a comedy show, will take place on the night of June 10 at the Victoria Park.

According to founder of the Foundation, Jaimason Samuel, the comedy show will be the first major event for the Foundation, which was formed in 2010.

The aim of the Foundation, Samuel said, is to create awareness of kidney disease and renal failure and also to educate the public about kidney failure and the requirements of persons with kidney disease.

Samuel stated that the show will raise funds to assist kidney disease patients.

The Stage Jamaica team, known for plays such as Bashment Granny 1 and 2 and Get Out, will perform “The politicians”, their current production.

The play is written by P.O. Beale and directed by Bunny Allen. It is a political revue that captures politics in Jamaica. It largely deals with political campaigning and the various happenings that the public rarely, if ever, sees. It also highlights a number of social issues that affect the society as a result of politics and presents politicians on a platform that depicts them as basic humans with agendas, desires, motives and personal issues.

Samuel added that the Foundation hopes to work along with a local centre here, to assist with dialysis treatment for those who are in need.

He explained that currently, there is a facility in Arnos Vale Medical Complex which offers Dialysis treatments for $500, relatively cheap, when compared to getting treatment overseas.

Samuel stated that he hopes that the Foundation can work along with the management of the complex to eliminate overheads, so that the treatment can be offered at a cheaper rate to assist those persons who are in need of the treatment and may not be able to afford it

“I’m hoping that the cost can come down to $300, $345, which will be more affordable, because ideally, you’re supposed to get three treatments a week; some people can’t afford that, they can only afford two, some people one,” Samuel said.

Samuel stated that having just one dialysis treatment per month is not enough, as toxins will build up in the body which can aggravate the illness.

Samuel added that the Foundation has already started negotiations to offer surgery to kidney failure patients at a reasonable price.

For more information on the Kidney Restorative Foundation, persons can send emails to krfsvginc@gmail.com.