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Dialysis patient appreciates being able to be treated at the Western Hospital in Alberton
ALBERTON – While he appreciates the thought and work that went into building a new hemodialysis unit at Western Hospital, Richard Fleming says he especially likes the staff.
Fleming, who had the lines inserted in his arm for dialysis eight years ago, finally started receiving dialysis at Western Hospital last September.
Until last month he was receiving that service in the hospital’s old unit.
For the patient sitting in the chair, the new unit functions much like the old one but with enhanced confidentiality, privacy and infection control.
Cheryl Banks, director of the provincial renal dialysis program, said what started as a plan for a new state-of-the-art water filtration system turned into a whole new unit.
Although only four chairs are currently being utilized three days a week at Western Hospital, she said there is space available to increase to six chairs if the demand increases. “The units we are opening today will help people get community-based services at critical points in their lives, both when dealing with the demands of chronic kidney disease and when facing end-of-life care,” said Health Minister James Aylward in describing what the two services mean for West Prince.
He said his department and the provincial government are committed to having services available to Islanders without having to travel away from their communities and families.
Fleming says he passes the time during his four-hoursa-day, three-days-a-week on dialysis doing cryptograms. The Kildare Capes man said he can usually complete 10 to 12 a day.
He says he appreciates the service being available in Alberton
‘If this wasn’t here, what would be offered for us who suffer from kidney disease? I think we would be looking at the wrong end of the grass.”