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LETTER: Dialysis machine needed in Nelson

From reader Kendra Wood
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Re: Nelson man launches petition for local dialysis machine, Feb. 17

We now have 970 signatures on a petition asking for Interior Health to add funding and move a dialysis unit to Kootenay Lake Hospital in Nelson. Nelson and area dialysis patients require these critical life-saving appointments three times a week, which are only available in Kootenay Boundary Regional Hospital in Trail. This includes patients in Nelson, Slocan Valley, Nakusp, Kaslo and Balfour.

There are no transportation options for patients to get to Trail hospital (i.e. bus or shared driving service, and patients are not well enough to drive). Transportation is very difficult for patients and their families. Appointments are for two to four hours at a time, plus travel means this is a full day.

Local families struggle to fit in full time work and driving to Trail or pay $160 a day on drivers or even worse, some patients just miss crucial appointments to avoid being a burden. These issues mean that this service is not accessible to many who need it. These patients often have complex health issues and cannot handle home dialysis by themselves. Reallocating a dialysis unit to Nelson would be efficient for many patients in our community and it would relieve pressure on the oversubscribed dialysis units in Trail hospital.

The online petition can be found at https://chng.it/Mnmn2cg7kY. Note that we are not fundraising at this time. We will be sending the petition and letters to the Minister of Health, Interior Health CEO, and local MLA Brittny Anderson.

Kendra Wood

Nelson