'I'm lucky' says kidney patient

[okarol]

'I'm lucky' says kidney patient

7:00am Saturday 18th October 2008

By Debbie Waite

Muriel Crecraft celebrated turning 69 last week and while, many would view her 47-year battle with kidney disease with pity, she views every birthday as a blessing.

She said: "When they diagnosed me aged 22 they said I would probably not live past 40.

"My father and my grandfather had died of kidney disease and I resolved to appreciate every year I was given.

"That was a long time ago, so how can I be sad? I'm a lucky one."

One in 10 people in the UK have chronic kidney disease.

And latest figures show the number of people needing essential dialysis treatment is set to double in the next 10 years.

But, according to the National Kidney Federation, more than half of all patients die within the first five years of receiving dialysis, partly due to late identification and limited access to NHS services — and because not enough donor organs are available.

Mrs Crecraft, from Benson, went on dialysis aged 52. For five hours a time, three times a week, she is wired up to needles and machines in her spare bedroom.

But while she knows she has been very lucky to live so long on the treatment, she also knows she may eventually die on dialysis.

She said: "Because of my age and also the fact I have an uncommon blood type, it is unlikely I will ever have a transplant. But that is OK. I am a great reader, I watch TV and people visit me. It's just part of my life and about the same number of hours as a part-time job!

"Seriously though, a lot of people are not so lucky.

"They have to travel to hospital and that can be a round trip of four hours.

"Thanks to my supportive husband I have haemodialysis at home."

Haemodialysis is the process of removing waste material and excess fluid using an artificial kidney linked to a dialysis machine.

Mrs Crecraft said: "So much has changed since my grandfather and father's days.

"They didn't even realise my grandfather had diseased kidneys until he died, and when my father collapsed at 36. Most of his kidneys were destroyed by the disease and there was nothing they could do.

"He died aged 48, when I was 28. Ironically it was the same year dialysis started in Oxford."

While Mrs Crecraft is immensely grateful to the Churchill Hospital, she knows that much more can and must be done to help today’s and tomorrow’s kidney patients.

A former primary school headteacher, she is the editor of the Six Counties Kidney Patients’ Association magazine and is an advocate of a new campaign by the National Kidney Federation and All Party Parliamentary Kidney Group, which have put forward a 10-point plan for the Government to improve services for kidney patients.

She said: "There is a quite a problem looming and things need to be done.

"I would like to see more local units built so fewer people have to travel so far.

"And I would like to see more opportunities for home dialysis. But above all we need more transplants.

"I am very pleased the Oxford Mail is working hard to encourage people to sign the organ donor register.

"We need as many donors as we can so that people get transplants and do not have to live with dialysis.

"I might not get a transplant — but there are lots out there who should."

We would like to hear from people who have had an organ transplant or are on the waiting list.

Call Debbie Waite on 01865 425428 or email her.

http://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/news/3769464._I_m_lucky__says_kidney_patient/