A New Dialysis Centre for Welland
- June 2008
- Français
Cutting the ribbon on May 30 were, from left: Jane Cornelius, NHS Director of Chronic Kidney Disease; Marilyn Leslie, Vice President, Welland Hospital Auxiliary; Mike Haines, Constituent Assistant to Peter Kormos, Welland MPP; Debbie Sevenpifer, NHS CEO; Betty-Lou Souter, NHS Board Chair; Jim Bradley, St. Catharines MPP and Minister of Transportation; Craig Stirtzinger, Clerk, City of Welland; Dave Augustyn, Mayor, Town of Pelham; Dr. Eli Rabin, NHS Chief of Nephrology and Rob Neill, South Niagara Chair, It's Our Time Campaign.
A sparkling clean, brightly-lit new Dialysis Centre opened for business at Welland Hospital Site on Monday morning, June 2 to serve the 100 chronic kidney disease patients in Welland and surrounding area.
The Welland Hospital Auxiliary Dialysis Centre, named for the Auxilians who have made a $1 million pledge towards the new unit, is the result of years of planning and one year of construction. The 12,500 sq. ft. Centre features 21 dialysis stations capable of treating 63 patients each day. The Centre was built with the future in mind and additional hook-ups are in place for up to 26 dialysis stations.
"Our patients have been receiving treatment in the temporary unit at Welland since late 2005, and we are delighted to be providing them with a larger space and more comforts than they had before," says Niagara Health System CEO Debbie Sevenpifer. "Our donors have made the new Centre possible, and on behalf of the community we serve, I sincerely thank them."
Fundraising for the Dialysis Centre is part of the It's Our Time Campaign, the first region-wide health-care fundraising campaign to develop new facilities and improve all NHS hospital sites. The Niagara Health System Foundation is working in partnership with each of the local hospital foundations to raise $40 million.
The new Centre is light and airy, with large windows looking out onto landscaped areas. Each dialysis station now features flat screen televisions for patients who dialyze for four to six hours at each visit. A new drop-off area is conveniently located at the new entrance, with parking nearby dedicated for dialysis patients.
"What makes this opening special is that we are opening an addition to our hospital services in the same year we celebrate giving the community of Welland 100 years of hospital service, so we're in the mood for a double celebration," Debbie told guests at the opening May 30.
"Although we are here to celebrate the official opening of the 'bricks and mortars' of the dialysis centre, it is much more than that," Debbie continued. "This centre is more importantly about people – the patients and their families who can now receive care closer to home, and about our healthcare professionals, who make a tremendous difference in the lives of our patients and their families, day in and day out."
One Patient's Experience
A Welland resident who has experienced the difficulties of chronic kidney disease is Vince Policella, age 63. He ended up at Welland Hospital about 17 years ago for chronic headaches and high blood pressure and the last thing he expected to find out was that he had chronic kidney disease. "When the headaches got worse, my family doctor made me do tests and that's how we found out I had a kidney problem," Vince explained. Typically, chronic kidney disease usually causes no symptoms in its early stages. Only laboratory tests can detect any developing problems.
When the tests were complete and the results were in, Vince admits he felt a little "shocked". The days that followed were crucial, as he was referred to a kidney specialist in St. Catharines. "I went to St. Catharines and met Dr. Shimizu," Vince recalls. "He told me if I was careful and took care of myself, I wouldn't have to go on dialysis for another five to10 years." And that is exactly what Vince set out to do.
With the close monitoring of Dr. Shimizu, Mr. Policella followed important dietary rules to help slow down the progress of his kidney disease. "I started to eat right," Vince acknowledges. "I cut down on red meat, salt and other things."
Almost 10 years later, Vince went in for a routine check-up. "I remember the day exactly because it was a week before Christmas," he says. On that particular doctor's visit in 2001, Mr. Policella was told that his time had come to begin dialysis treatment at the Ontario Street Site Dialysis Unit in St. Catharines (at the time Hotel Dieu Hospital).
As Vince recalls the events that took place that unexpected day, he speaks about the unfortunate toll the disease has taken on his family. "It runs in the family," states Mr. Policella. "My father died at the age of 43 because back then there was no treatment." After receiving medical clearance that he was a candidate for a kidney transplant, Vince was put on the waiting list, in the hopes that a suitable match would come in time.
For six straight years, Vince travelled from Welland to St. Catharines for his dialysis treatments. "I spent 18 hours a week at the dialysis unit and would travel to St. Catharines three times a week," he recalls. During his dialysis treatments, Vince refused to give up. He got up every morning, went to work, saw his friends and insisted that life would remain as normal and consistent as possible.
In October 2007, Vince received the phone call that changed his life – the call saying there was a potential match for a kidney transplant. "I was shocked because it was so unexpected," he states, "but I kept on saying that one day it would come." Without hesitation, Vince and his family rushed to Toronto where he received his kidney transplant on October 27.
The lengthy surgery and recovery period was a success. Today, Vince takes it one day at a time. Although now retired from his construction business, he can't help but be always on the go. "I feel good and I feel very lucky."
Vince credits the support he received from his family, friends and health-care team for his current good health, as well as his positive outlook on life. "You can't let it take over your life – you have to stay positive throughout the experience."
For more information on the Welland Hospital Auxiliary Dialysis Centre and Chronic Kidney Disease, click HERE.