Kidney Health Australia to unveil NSW’s new big red kidney bus

Mobile treatment helping thousands of patient, families and friends

Kidney Health Australia’s New South Wales holiday dialysis program, the Big Red Kidney Bus, is hitting the road again, with a new, state-of-the-art bus to be unveiled by NSW Minister for Health, the Hon. Brad Hazzard in Sydney on Tuesday October 18.

The bus, which will travel to different locations throughout New South Wales, features comfortable chairs for patients, equipped with dialysis machines and staffed by dialysis nurses and renal technicians, allowing people to book holidays without having to worry about missing their dialysis treatments.

The new bus will operate in partnership between Kidney Health Australia and Royal North Shore Hospital, offering clinically supported dialysis treatment to people on haemodialysis.

The advancements to the bus have been provided through the generosity of sponsors AstraZeneca, Toronto Lions Club, Elderslee Foundation and the Australian Lions Foundation.

More than 14,500 people nationwide and 4,300 in New South Wales require dialysis to clean their blood each day due to kidney disease, with an average of three local hospital visits a week and 60 hours strapped to a machine every month, meaning time with families and friends, and holiday time, is either heavily restricted or not possible.

People living with kidney disease can book as many sessions as required on the Big Red Kidney Bus by visiting Kidney Health Australia’s website: kidney.org.au/bigredkidneybus

BIG RED KIDNEY BUS – SYDNEY MEDIA OPPORTUNITY

DATE: Tuesday October 18

WHAT: Unveiling of the New South Wales Big Red Kidney Bus – Kidney Health Australia’s holiday dialysis program – vision and interview opportunities.

TIME: 11.15am for 11.30am

WHERE: Behind NSW Parliament House – The Domain/Botanic Gardens side – Hospital Road, Sydney

WHO: Minister for Health the Hon. Brad Hazzard, Kidney Health Australia CEO Chris Forbes, Kidney Health Australia Chair Prof Carol Pollock and a kidney disease patient who will use the Big Red Kidney Bus for a holiday in NSW.

KEY STATISTICS AROUND KIDNEY HEALTH

• In New South Wales, 8095 people are on kidney replacement therapy of which 4396 are on dialysis and 3699 are living with a transplant.
• Five of the top ten chronic kidney disease hotspots in Australia are in New South Wales
• On average, 63 people in Australia die with kidney-related disease each day – more than breast cancer, prostate cancer and road accidents.
• People on dialysis spend on average 60 hours a month strapped to a machine to stay alive.
• 1.7 million Australian adults have signs of kidney disease.
• 90% of kidney function can be lost without any symptoms – it is a silent killer.
• 1 in 3 Australian adults are at increased risk of kidney disease.
• 1.5 million people don’t know they are living with the early signs of kidney disease