NEWS
NKF LIAISON OFFICER
The National Kidney Federation is recruiting a Liaison Officer. Ths closing date for applications is Friday 19 March.
For details visit: https://www.kidney.org.uk/nkf-job-vacancies
Ken Tupling
Everyone at SAKA was deeply saddened to hear the news in February that Ken Tupling had passed away. His most recent post at SAKA was as Vice Chair, but over many years he fulfilled lots of roles. Many of you will have met him selling Christmas cards at Sorby. He was also a stalwart at the National Kidney Federation, including serving as President.
FUNDRAISING NEWS
TEAM SCARLETT
SAKA is very grateful to Team Scarlett for raising the tremendous total of £3,229 for our funds.
Scarlett O’Keefe was waiting for a liver and kidney transplant when she sadly passed away on 15 April 2020 at the age of 28. She had already decided she wanted to raise money for charity, and she had challenged her mum Bev, along with family friend Kath, to do the #1000 mile walk to raise funds for SAKA. After their sad loss, Bev and Kath took the decision to continue this walking challenge and spent the rest of 2020 working towards raising as much money as possible, their original target being £1,000. Due to the generosity of Scarlett’s friends and family they far exceeded this target, and it is a wonderful tribute to Scarlett that they were able to give such a substantial donation to SAKA.
RAFFLE
Thanks to Katrina Mills for organsing a raffle amongst her family and friends. Her plans for a coffee morning had to be abandoned due to Coronavirus restrictions, but her raffle raised £147 for SAKA funds
MP SPEAKS ABOUT DONATED KIDNEYS BEING DISCARDED DURING PANDEMIC
In a Parliamentary debate on Wednesday 13 January, Ian Paisley, DUP MP, brought up the fact that donated kidneys are often being discarded during the present pandemic.
HEALTH CARE WHEN TRAVELLING TO EU COUNTRIES
Here is a link to the latest guidance on receiving dialysis etc. when travelling to the EU after 1st January 2021:
Reciprocal Healthcare for Dialysis patients from 1st January 2021 | National Kidney Federation
DRIVE THROUGH BLOOD TESTS
For those of you who have been using the drive though facility to have blood tests, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals have announced a new location.
They say:
New location for our drive-through blood taking service:
Our drive through blood taking service will be moving to Building 183 (Former Blood Service site), Longley Lane, Sheffield, S5 7JN from Monday 14th December.
The current service running at the Sheffield Arena will end on Thursday 10th December and will re-open at our new location on Monday 14th. The service will be closed at both locations on Friday 11th to Sunday 13th.
Due to poor lighting, the opening times for the blood taking service at the Sheffield Arena will now be 8am to 3.30pm, Monday to Friday and 8am to 1pm on Saturday. Once the service has moved to Longley Lane, usual opening times will resume and the service will be open from 8am to 5pm, Monday to Friday (excluding Bank Holidays) and 8.30am to 1pm on Saturday.
For patients who cannot use the drive through service, we continue to provide blood tests at the Hallamshire and Northern General Hospitals but with additional measures in place to limit the risk of transmission of infection.
SAKA ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING 2020 POSTPONED
We would normally hold our AGM at the end of September, but due to Covid restrictions we are unable to do so this year. We will keep members and supporters updated as and when we are able to make any new arrangements in line with Charity Commission guidelines.
SOCIAL DISTANCING LANYARD
Let people know you want social distancing, plus the hook can hold a hand sanitizer.
For more details and to order a lanyard visit:
https://www.kidney.org.uk/shop/social-distancing-lanyard
NKF are also selling face masks at £1.50/
To order go to:
NKF cotton face mask | National Kidney Federation
FREE Information and Advice Sessions
SAKA is funding Information and Advice Sessions at the Renal Unit at the Northern General Hospital. Any renal patient can make use of this service, which covers benefits advice, housing issues, consumer issues, non-residential care, money matters, legal issues etc.
Sessions are also held at Heeley Satellite Unit.
The sessions are run on our behalf by Age UK, but are open to patients of any age.
So far we have had a lot of success in helping people claim benefits, which they may not otherwise have realised they were entitled to.
For further details or to book an appointment:
Phone 0114 2502850 or
email: enquiries@ageuksheffield.org.uk
HELP DURING CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC
Locally there are several organisations offering help and support .
AGE UK Sheffield have been running a food delivery service for vulnerable people who are self isolating.
Phone: 0114 250 2850 or email enquiries@ageuksheffield.org.uk
Local Councils are also offering help and support and it is worth checking their websites for regular updates:
Sheffield City Council have a community response helpline for Sheffield residents with any queries related to coronavirus. This is open 8.45 a.m. to 4.45 p.m. Monday to Friday :
0114 273 4567
Rotherham Borough Council: Click here for website
Emergency helpline for immediate help: 01709 807319
Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council: Click here for website
Chesterfield Borough Council: Click here for website
We have set up a new Facebook Group:
We are
looking for patients (and family members/ carers etc) who attend the Sheffield Unit or its satellites.
We have started a small confidential group to discuss Sheffield and also share news and information based upon Sheffield. It
is clear during the COVID outbreak information is different from other units and it can get confusing. We would like the input of as many people as possible so that we can get a clear picture of what
is happening during this crisis.
Click here to visit / join the Group. https://www.facebook.com/groups/sakasheffield
WORLD KIDNEY DAY 2020
To mark World Kidney Day, SAKA joined forces with Sheffield Hospitals Charity Trust to organise a Photography Exhibition at the Winter Garden in Sheffield, which ran for a whole week in March.
Paul Cocker took photographs of ten kidney patients and renal staff and these were displayed along with their personal stories.
We also had a range of information leaflets for the public to take.
DIALYSIS BIKES AT SHEFFIELD DIALYSIS UNIT
SAKA has purchased 2 specialist bikes for patients at Heeley to use whilst dialysing.
These bikes have great benefits for patients.
Haemodialysis patients generally spend 3-4 hours 3 or 4 times a week on dialysis. This equates to 4-6 weeks per year sitting or lying inactive whilst on dialysis. Physical inactivity can lead to poor physical performance, loss of bone strength, loss of appetite, muscle wasting, hypertension, fatigue and dependence. These complications are augmented in patients with kidney disease, which in itself can lead to muscle wasting and hypertension. As most haemodialysis patients spend a considerable amount of time travelling to and from and in a dialysis unit, they have less opportunity to exercise.
Exercise in the general population is associated with a number of benefits including:
- Improved blood pressure control
- Increased muscle strength
- Improved mental health and well being
- Improved physical function and maintenance of independence
- Improved sleep
There are further specific benefits noted in haemodialysis patients including:
- Improved efficiency of dialysis by increased muscle blood flow enhancing removal of toxins
- Improved nutrition
- Delay in end stage cachexia
Living Donor Event
19 November 2019
The Living Donor Coordinators organised a highly successful evening at Bramall Lane on 19 November to give patients considering a living donor transplant all the information they needed. They were able to listen to and meet recipients of kidneys along with their donors.
The evening included a pie and pea supper and there was the chance to put questions to health care professionals as well as to donors and recipients.
GOLF CHALLENGE
On 24 October 2019 David Lilley completed a dawn to dusk golf challenge to raise funds for SAKA.
He raised £481.00 which HSBC are matchfunding and so the grand total will be £962.00, a great result.
He managed to play 4 rounds starting at 7.30am and finished at 5.30pm, even having his lunch on the go whilst travelling between holes.
He played 374 strokes with 17 pars and took 20557 steps.
Winners of the competition to guess his results were Christine Brown guessing 375 strokes,Liam Bennett guessing 17 pars and Amelia Tembey guessing 21000 steps.
Well done to David from all at SAKA.
David is on the right in the photo, being congratulated by Jason Baker from HSBC.
SAKA AGM
The SAKA Annual General Meeting was held on Monday 30 September 2019. Thank you to the loyal supporters who turned out on a wet evening.
We heard from Dr. Bisher Kawar, recently appointed as Clinical Director of Renal Services, who gave us an update on the Department. He explained that some of the dialysis facilities are due to be upgraded, and that they will be looking for patient input into ideas for future improvements.
Dr. Will MacKane spoke about an initiative called "Getting it Right First Time" (GIRFT), which compares best practice amongst renal departments throughout the country and enables units to help each other in delivering the best service possible to patients.
Mr. Steve Dilks from RPG Financial spoke about his management of the SAKA investments.
There followed the routine business, including a report on the National Kidney Federation.
SAKA Chair, David Marshall, spoke about the work of the charity and outlined our plans for the future, including changing our charitable status to become a CIO (Charitable Incorporated Organisation). This will extend the scope of what we are able to do for renal patients.
Phil Beattie, SAKA Treasurer, reported that the finances were in a healthy state and thanked everyone who had supported the charity over the year by regular and one off donations, including those who had chosen to remember loved ones in this way. He also thanked all volunteers who had helped sell Christmas cards and said a special thank you to Andrew Raftery for raising money through his talks to various groups around the city.
Officers and Committee Members were elected as follows:
Chair: David Marshall
Vice Chair: Ken Tupling
Secretary: Peter Joynson
Treasurer: Phil Beattie
Membership Secretary: Glynis Beattie
Committee Members: Adam Greenway, Darren Lath, Kerry Radford, Andrew Raftery
An Open Forum discussion highlighted discontent over the new appointment system. Instead of arranging your next appointment when leaving the Outpatients Deprtment you now have to wait to be contacted.
There were also questions on the supply of medications if and when Brexit happens.
CARAVAN HIRE
As you may know SAKA used to own a holiday caravan on the east coast, but, due to its declining use, we took the decision to sell it.
However, the North East Kidney Patients Association now have a caravan for hire at Cayton Bay Holiday Park near Scarborough.
Details: 2 bedroom, 6 berth, wheelchair friendly, fully equipped , hire fee includes free entertainment passes
Dialysis is available at Scarborough Hospital (4 miles away) and Bridlington Dialysis Unit (6 miles away)
For more details / bookings please contact Victoria Harrison: victoria.10harrison@btinternet.com
Phone / text : 07985 781364
or visit: https://www.static-caravan.co.uk/private-hire-harrison-cayton-bay
To download flyer with full details CLICK HERE
SAKA was delighted to be chosen as one of the charities to benefit from the 2019 Music in the Gardens. This is an annual event in Sheffield's Botanical Gardens organised by local Rotary Clubs. Six volunteers from SAKA sold programmes and held a bucket collection on the evening of Sunday 7 July when the crowd was entertained by Unite the Union Brass Band and Sheffield Philharmonic Orchestra, followed by a firework display. So far over £700 has been raised, with more to come later in the year.
WORLD KIDNEY DAY 2019
World Kidney Day took place on Thursday 14 March.
To mark the occasion SAKA joined forces with the Sheffield Hospitals Charity to hold a photo exhibition in the Winter Garden in Sheffield city centre from Monday 11 March to Friday 15 March.
The Photo Exhibition featured the kidney stories of local individuals, including dialysis patients, transplant patients, a living donor and health care professionals.
Alongside was an information stand with leaflets on different aspects of kidney health.
We also help an Open Afternoon at the United Reformed Church on Norfolk St., with a variety of information stands, and speakers giving short presentations.
SHEFFIELD CELEBRATES 50 YEARS OF KIDNEY TRANSPLANTATION
On 28 September 2018 a celebration was held at Kenwood Hall to mark 50 years of kidney transplantation in Sheffield.
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