The New South Wales Health Minister, Reba Meagher, will be
surrounded by Angels tonight at the Sydney Cricket Ground when she
officially presents Kidney Health Australia's Operation Angel
Awards.
Image right: The Hon. Reba Meagher, New South Wales Minister
for Health
Chronic Kidney Disease is responsible for the highest number
of hospital visits to public hospitals in Australia. In 2005 / 2006
one third of all admissions to public hospitals were due to
dialysis, 2000 each day of the year.
To celebrate its 40th
Birthday Kidney Health Australia has recognised Forty Kidney Health
Angels with Operation Angel Awards across Australia to people from
all walks of life for their work and involvement in kidney health
issues.
Anne Wilson, Chief Executive of Kidney Health Australia said,
"the official recognition of such a diverse range of people from so
many walks of life reveals the many faces of kidney disease of which
one in three Australians is at increased risk.
"Operation Angel recognises and promotes the work and care
carried out by hundreds of people daily in hospitals and medical
clinics to assist over fourteen thousand Australians to remain alive
on dialysis. It also recognises the commitment of family, friends
and work colleagues of kidney patients."
Kidney Health Angels being recognised tonight include:
Christine Pollock manager of the Renal Unit at Tweed Heads
Hospital.
Dr Stephen May of the Hunter New England Area Health
Service in Tamworth has been the lynch pin of Renal Services for the
past 18 years.
Ray Cox a carer whose wife has been on dialysis for nine
years and he brings her to Royal Prince Alfred Hospital for dialysis
three times a week and is helpful to many patients.
Geoff Youdale is a transplant recipient who has served on
a number of committees over many years.
Derani Morgan did her nursing training at Sydney Hospital
and worked in the Renal Unit until the move to Royal North Shore
Hospital in 1983.
Elizabeth Craig from Sydney Children's Hospital and has
been a children's dialysis nurse for many years.
Jill Farquhar a dialysis nurse for kids, now at Westmead
Children's Hospital and has been a dialysis nurse at the Kidney Kids
Camps since the first in 1986.
Jane Nicholson has worked at the Royal Prince Alfred
Hospital for close to 25 years, where she has mainly worked in renal
and is currently the hospital's Renal Case Manager.
Dr Shelley Tranter with renal nursing experience since
1980. She is a dedicated nephrology nurse consultant and has a
Doctoral in Nursing.
Professor Jeremy Chapman has shown leadership, expertise,
determination and persistence in establishing the NSW Renal Services
Network as part of the Greater Metropolitan Clinical Taskforce with
particular reference to the development and acceptance of the NSW
Renal Dialysis Service Plan to 2011.
Media Enquiries:
Anne Wilson Chief Executive Kidney Health
Australia Mobile: 0400 165 391
Dr Tim Mathew, Medical Director
Kidney Health Australia Mobile: 0416 149 863
Ron Smith
National Media Communications Kidney Health Australia Mobile: 0417
329 201
Kidney Facts in Australia
1 in 3 adults are at increased risk of developing Chronic Kidney
Disease (CKD)
1 in 7 adults have at least one clinical sign of existing CKD
A person can lose up to 90% of their kidney function before
experiencing any symptoms
Approximately 2 million Australians may be affected by
early-stage kidney disease and don't know it
Over 40 Australians die of kidney failure each day
11.3% of all deaths in Australia are due to, or associated with,
kidney failure
Every day, 6 Australians commence expensive dialysis or
transplantation to stay alive
Most people with CKD will die from cardiovascular causes before
requiring dialysis or transplantation
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders experience excessive
death and disability due to CKD
The dialysis-dependent population has risen by an average of 8%
per year over the past decade, and is being fuelled by the ageing
population, and Type 2 diabetes epidemic
It costs approximately $72,000 per annum to keep a person alive
on dialysis
There is consistent evidence that with proper medications and
management, the number of people with kidney failure can be
significantly reduced. However, early stages of kidney disease often
go unrecognised, and the knowledge of what can be done to help
patients is often not applied.
Health Messages
CHECK YOUR RISK:
Try this quick quiz to assess whether
you are at risk of kidney disease. Tick if you:
0 Are
diabetic
0 Have high blood pressure
0 Have a family history of
kidney disease
0 Are over 50
0 Are a smoker
0 Are of
Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander descent
If you answered
YES to one or more of the above then you are at risk of
kidney disease
What should you do?
Visit your local doctor TODAY and
ask for a Kidney Performance test.
The test can include
a:
Blood pressure test
Blood test
Urine test
Lifestyle
assessment guidelines
