Transplants on their way
TOWNSVILLE-BASED kidney transplants are a step closer to reality after experts from the Queensland Kidney Transplant Service toured Townsville University Hospital this week.
The new service will be the first of its kind in the state outside South East Queensland.
Princess Alexandra Hospital transplant clinical nurse consultant Gary Torrens and Indigenous healthcare worker Brett Mooney have worked with North Queensland Kidney Transplant lead Dr Michelle Harfield over the past three days to bring their shared vision to dialysis patients.
“The vision of our kidney transplant service is coming together beautifully,” Dr Harfield said. “We’re very fortunate to have people like Gary and Brett, who have been doing this work for years, to help us shape our unique vision for what we want our service to be.”
While a number of years of hard work and preparation still remain before the service is up and running, several patients at Townsville University Hospital are already being evaluated to begin the process.
“We have patients at the moment who are dialysing
three times a week and they are great candidates for transplant in the future,” Dr Harfield said.
“They are very excited about us starting the process, which is quite complex, to work them up for a transplanted kidney.
“More than anything, they
are also excited about having the surgery here, close to their home and family, and in a hospital where everything is familiar and comfortable.”
When finished, the service will treat patients from communities such as Cairns, Mackay and Cape York.
The service will be a par
ticular boon for the disproportionate number of dialysis patients who are First Nations people, who Mr Mooney said were in need of care.
‘‘I feel culturally accountable to be part of this journey for North Queensland renal patients,” Mr Mooney said.
“I want to empower our
First Nations people to have access to kidney transplants.
‘‘A service here in North Queensland means people will be in familiar surroundings with their existing treating teams in place, which is a lot more comforting than travelling somewhere completely new.’’