Leicester Tigers select appeal as one of its charity partners
LEICESTER Tigers chose Leicester Hospitals Charity’s Kidney Care Appeal as one of its official charities for 2017/18.
Players joined staff in the Haemodialysis Unit at Leicester General Hospital to celebrate the announcement.
The Kidney Care Appeal involves doctors, nurses and other staff on the renal unit, as well as renal research scientists, patients and fundraisers. They work together to publicise and raise funds for vital research into kidney disease and innovations in patient care, which are pioneered in the John Walls Renal Unit at Leicester General Hospital.
The unit provides additional equipment to complement NHS clinical facilities, improving the wuality of care for kidney patients.
Graham Warwick is consultant nephrologist at Leicester’s Hospitals.
He said: “Our link with the Tigers this season is particularly apt as they can help us to encourage the people of Leicester to get active using sport.
“Being overweight increases the risk of kidney diseases directly but more importantly increases the risk of diabetes, mellitus and high blood pressure, which are the most common causes of severe kidney problems.
“We encourage staff and patients to maintain a minimum level of physical activity in any way they can regardless of their physical condition.”
Chris Rose, head of brand at Leicester Tigers, added: “We’re looking forward to working closely at the charity across a number of events and activities to support its great work.
“Tigers is a huge part of many people’s lives and we’re always looking at ways to give back to the community.”
People develop kidney disease for a variety of reasons, and in some cases the disease progressively worsens until the kidneys no longer function.
Almost 60,000 people in the UK receive treatment by dialysis or have had a kidney transplant, with a further 6,000 on the waiting list for a kidney transplant.
To find out more about the Kidney Care Appeal or to make a donation, call 0116 258 8709 or visit the Leicester Hospitals Charity website.