Sheffield Area Kidney Association

NEWS

KPA DAY AND AGM

NKF held their annual KPA Day and AGM via Zoom on Saturday 27 March 2021, with about 70 people attending. A new Executice Committee was elected, including Glynis Beattie and Phil Beattie from SAKA.

Two very interesting guest speakers were invited.

Paul Cockwell, Consultant Nephrologist, spoke about the impact of Covid-19 on renal patients, especially those on dialysis and Rommel Ravanan spoke on the impact of Covid-19 on kidney donation and transplantation and also gave an update on the new strategy for organ donation and transplantation.

WORLD KIDNEY DAY 2021

We were unable to get together in person for World Kidney Day due to the ongoing coronavirus situation, so, in conjunction with Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, we held an online event on the evening of 11 March with presentations by health care professionals.

Over 40 people joined us for a very interesting evening.

Dr. Arif Khwaja chaired the event, which began with an update about Covid 19 in Sheffield by Dr. Veena Reddy. Other speakers included Dr. Syazrah Salam on bone health in renal disease, Louise Jackson on nutrition for kidney health, Dr. Helen Simms-Williams on her research about children with spina bifida in Uganda and Sarah Albone about the use of exercise bikes by dialysis patients. Professor Martin Wilkie rounded off the evening.

One person remarked that it was easier to follow the presentations on a personal screen rather than in a room watching projected images. Anyone else who joined us is welcome to send their feedback about the event: email membership@saka.org.uk

VIDEO: HOW KIDNEYS WORK

To mark World Kidney Day teachers at Becton School worked with NHS staff at Sheffield Childrens Hospital to produce a short video to demonstrate what kidneys do.It features Kevin the Kidney and his twin Kate. Whilst this is aimed at the younger generation it is well worth a watch as a very basic explanation of how kidneys work. Click below and enjoy!

Click here to watch Kevin the Kidney

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

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

Download flyer here

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.

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.

Click here for full report.