For 15 hours a week, Chris Slapp’s life revolves around sitting in a chair and receiving dialysis.
Mr Slapp undergoes three five-hour sessions every Monday, Wednesday and Friday as he battles the debilitating disease carpal tarsal osteolysis syndrome, which has effectively shut down his kidneys.
Since April 2006 Mr Slapp has been going through the same routine and since then has been on the waiting list for a kidney transplant that would drastically improve his quality of life.
On average, a kidney patient waits five years for their compatible organ.
Earlier this week the Rudd Government committed $151 million to establishing a national organ donation program.
Of that, $67 million will be used for dedicated specialist organ donation doctors and staff at public hospitals.
It’s a move Mr Slapp hopes will improve his chances of finding a compatible donor in the near future.
“It’s not as easy as taking someone’s kidney and putting it into me,” he said.
“The kidney has to be compatible by blood type and also by antibodies. I’ve been on the transfer list since April 2006 when I got sick and every day you sort of wake up and wonder whether you’ll get the call.
“I love the people up here, they do great work, but I’d like to get a new kidney and be better again.”
The kidney is one of the few multiple organs in the body where a patient can survive with just one, which means a live donor could hold the key to helping Mr Slapp.
While organ donation is an individual decision, Mr Slapp believes it would be great to have more people on the list.
“The more people on the list, the shorter the wait will be,” he said. “I suppose the key point is that it might not be a deceased donor that can help, it may be someone out there that reads this story.
“It’s pleasing to see the Government pull some money out of its pocket to help out. More awareness of organ donation is needed.”
Dr Colin McClintock, a kidney specialist based at Dubbo Base Hospital, said it was crucial to raise awareness for the need of organ donors.
“We have very high levels of chronic kidney disease in Dubbo and surrounding areas, relating to high blood pressure, diabetes, ongoing smoking and we need to try to raise awareness of those issues and treatment,” Dr McClintock said.
“It’s a great initiative by the Rudd Government to provide money to try and increase awareness of that and we fully support what the Government is doing.
“There are people who need organs. It’s a difficult time when we raise the need for organ donation with critically ill people but individuals and families need to think long and hard about it.
“In a time of an unwell loved one, there’s always the chance to give hope and life to someone else.”
ben.walker@ruralpress.co m