Renal patients are returning to Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham (QEHB) to help commemorate two significant milestones as part of World Kidney Day.

The Kidney Patient’s Association at QEHB is celebrating its 35^th anniversary by helping to man a stand in the main atrium on Thursday 14 March.

But the event will also mark a major transplant anniversary as the first ever kidney transplant performed on the QE site took place 45 years ago, in May 1968.

The stand, which will be in the atrium between 10:00 – 16:00, will also be staffed by volunteers from the hospital’s Renal Support Group.

A kidney dialysis machine may also be present on the day.

A member of the QEH Kidney Patient’s Association committee said the event was all about raising awareness of kidney disease.

Dawn Roach, Voluntary Services Coordinator at University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust (UHB), said: “The emphasis for us is in celebrating two major anniversaries, which we are able to do as part of World Kidney Day on March 14.

“The Association is celebrating its 35^th anniversary, but it is also 45 years since the first kidney transplant was carried out on the site, so we wanted to do something special to commemorate the two events.

Added Dawn: “We will have members of the Association there on the day, all of whom are kidney patients or carers, and there will also be some volunteers from our renal support group. They are patients and carers who know what it’s like to go through it themselves so will be able to offer advice to people.

“We are trying to get as many staff involved as possible, but we also want to contact other renal units in the region to invite along their patients who received a kidney transplant here. We would like them to come along and support us, and also celebrate the transplant anniversary.

“It is all about raising awareness of kidney disease on the day and offering support, advice and information.”

QEH Kidney Patient’s Association provides renal patients with a voice, partly through its quarterly Kidney Matters online newsletter.

It also raises money through donations and various sponsored events, largely organised by patients’ relatives, with the proceeds used to buy items ranging from televisions and chairs in renal dialysis units to blood pressure monitors for patients’ use at home.

QEHB houses one of the largest renal centres in the UK, serving a catchment area of 1.7 million people.

Kidney consultant Paul Cockwell, who is also Clinical Lead for Renal Medicine at the hospital, said: “It is important for people to be aware of kidney disease, which affects about one in ten people in the community. Unlike most medical conditions, people with kidney disease usually have no symptoms and are recognised by a blood test or urine test. We are working hard with general practitioners to improve identification and treatment of people with kidney disease with good success.

“For people with more advanced kidney disease that needs treatment with dialysis or kidney transplantation, we are providing treatment for increasing numbers of people with home dialysis and living kidney transplantation.”

QEHB Renal Unit currently sees more than 25,000 outpatients a year, looks after almost 1,100 people on dialysis treatment, and carries out around 160 kidney transplants a year.