Patients grateful for local dialysis care at RMH
“This community wanted a dialysis unit.”
Bob Eakins had only just learned that he would be needing dialysis treatments when the Ross Memorial Hospital received approval to begin providing the service in April 2007.
At the 10th anniversary celebration of the RMH Dialysis Unit, Bob shared with the audience how much interest there was in the community as plans were underway.
He says it was inspiring to see the organizations and individuals who supported the building of the Dialysis Unit through donations, and encouraged the audience to look at the names on the donor wall in the Unit’s lobby.
Bob has been a part of the Dialysis Family at the Ross since the first run of patients received treatments in a temporary space on the Medical Unit. He thanked the team of care providers including doctors, nurses, dialysis technicians, members of the pharmacy team and social workers.
Bob also paid his respects to his fellow patients, and to the family members of former patients he came to know well during treatments.
“Dialysis is a special type of unit where strong bonds are developed due to the amount of time spent receiving treatment, between patients, family, staff and volunteers,” said Beverlee Groves-Foley, Dialysis Unit Manager.
About the RMH Dialysis Unit
In April 2007, the Ross Family celebrated the opening of a temporary dialysis unit — a satellite of the Peterborough Regional Renal Program. Located in a room on the Medical Unit, it was tight quarters holding six chairs and six dialyzers — but it had an enormous impact on local patients who had been travelling outside of the region for their care.
With the approval of the Ministry of Health & Long Term Care to provide dialysis service at the Ross, the community rallied to help construct a permanent home for these patients. The new Unit opened in September 2008 and welcomed 48 patients. Local donors’ generosity through the On the Horizon capital campaign helped the RMH Foundation raise more than $2.2 million toward the total cost of the project.
Ten years later, the RMH Dialysis Unit has provided more than 71,000 treatments to 530 patients.