November 12, 2024
Support the renal transplant unit at the Royal North Shore Hospital
Help the renal transplant unit at the Royal North Shore Hospital improve the lives of patients with renal failure for another 40 years.
Our goal
$190,000
Raised
$30,858
To go
$159,142
Celebrating 40 years of renal transplantation at Royal North Shore Hospital
For 40 years, the renal transplant unit at Royal North Shore Hospital (RNSH) has delivered world-class care to over 690 transplant patients and also ensured the long-term health of our living kidney donors is maintained. As of March 2023, over 250 living kidney donor patients are followed up and cared for by the renal transplant unit.
RNSH is a leader in organ donation and improved access to transplantation for patients on dialysis. Its kidney transplant outcomes are excellent, with transplant and patient survivals equal to its peers.
The 40-year anniversary marks a significant achievement for the renal transplant unit and the patients who have benefited from their expertise and dedication. This celebration serves as a reminder of the life-changing impact of organ donation and transplantation and the importance of continuing to support and advance this critical medical field.
Why support our renal transplant unit?
HIGHLIGHT 1
Over 690 kidney transplants have been performed at RNSH since the renal transplant service transferred from Sydney Hospital in 1982. Due to the nature of kidney disease, the transplant unit has a lifelong connection with a number of these patients. Outpatient clinic lists include many patients that still have their kidney transplant up to 50 years on.
HIGHLIGHT 2
Our Living Kidney Donor Support Program was established in 2011 to advocate and mentor those thinking about living kidney donation. This group is now working with RNSH and Transplant Australia to help deliver better education to patients.
HIGHLIGHT 3
RNSH was involved in Australia’s first paired kidney exchange in 2010 and subsequently the first Australian and New Zealand Trans-Tasman Exchange in 2019.
Renal transplantation is often the treatment of choice for kidney failure compared to a lifetime on dialysis, and the best treatment for those patients with end stage kidney disease. It allows patients to lead a more normal life, and get more time for family, holidays and work. Only one donated kidney is required to replace two failed kidneys; a patient can receive a kidney from a deceased donor or a living kidney donor.
Despite the impacts of COVID-19 on organ donation in 2020-2022, RNSH continued to care for over 40 kidney transplant patients and 18-20 living kidney donor patients each year.
The RNSH renal transplant unit delivers care to patients in Northern Sydney Local Health District (NSLHD), Central Coast, Canberra and Southern New South Wales. It delivers outreach services and ongoing clinic reviews including telehealth. The unit remains closely linked to all its transplant patients through regular liaison with its referring doctors. It also sees local outpatients from the NSLHD.
Renal transplant unit areas of need
Garden of Thanks Cost: $50,000
Renal transplantation would not occur without its kidney donors both living and deceased.
The renal transplant unit wishes to fundraise for a memorial garden at Royal North Shore Hospital to thank those who have made transplantation happen over the last 40 years:
- The deceased donors and their families
- The intensive care unit teams who support the deceased donor families during those challenging times
- The living kidney donors and their families
- The transplant teams that worked hard to ensure best outcome
The renal transplant unit wishes to fundraise for a memorial garden at Royal North Shore Hospital to thank those who have made transplantation happen over the last 40 years:
- The deceased donors and their families
- The intensive care unit teams who support the deceased donor families during those challenging times
- The living kidney donors and their families
- The transplant teams that worked hard to ensure best outcome
Educational tools Cost: $40,000
COVID-19 has proven challenging in terms of how potential kidney donors and recipients can access education about what is involved in the process of transplantation and kidney donation.
Previously, education was performed in face-to-face format. The aim is to deliver engaging informative video content that allows patients to access the information anywhere, anytime. Web-faced communication for living kidney donors and recipients will also improve workup communication between patients and their clinical nurse consultants.
Previously, education was performed in face-to-face format. The aim is to deliver engaging informative video content that allows patients to access the information anywhere, anytime. Web-faced communication for living kidney donors and recipients will also improve workup communication between patients and their clinical nurse consultants.
Research initiatives Cost: $100,000
The renal transplant unit has a number of research initiatives that look to the future 40 years and how best to deliver renal transplant care.
Projects include:
- Molecular changes in kidney transplant biopsies and how to use the changes in gene expression to enhance interpretation of kidney biopsies when diagnosing rejection
- Optimal use of kidney transplant ultrasound to minimise surgical risk around the time of transplant and better understand the impact of perioperative factors on ultrasound interpretation
Projects include:
- Molecular changes in kidney transplant biopsies and how to use the changes in gene expression to enhance interpretation of kidney biopsies when diagnosing rejection
- Optimal use of kidney transplant ultrasound to minimise surgical risk around the time of transplant and better understand the impact of perioperative factors on ultrasound interpretation
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Meet some of the renal transplant team
Dr Vikram Puttaswamy
Dr Vikram Puttaswamy
About Dr Vikram
Dr Puttaswamy is Head of the Department of Vascular Surgery at RNSH. He has lead the renal transplant surgical service for over 10 years and performed hundreds of renal transplant operations. He leads a number of renal transplant surgical research projects and is mentor to a number of junior surgical trainee staff.
Dr Justin Vass
Dr Justin Vass
About Dr Justin
Dr Vass is the Head of the Department of Urology at RNSH. He has performed over 150 laparoscopic donor kidney nephrectomies with excellent outcomes. He was the first urologist in Australia to obtain a laparoscopic fellowship and he is also skilled in robotic laparoscopic work. He has lectured internationally and is mentor to a number of junior urology trainees.
Dr Stella McGinn
Dr Stella McGinn
About Dr Stella
Dr Stella McGinn has been the RNSH renal transplant service clinical lead since 2007. During this time, the service has tripled its transplant numbers, had an active living kidney donor program and has performed more complex transplants surgically and immunologically. Since 2016, she has been Deputy Director of the ANZ Paired Kidney Exchange Program.
Dr Charles Fisher
Dr Charles Fisher
About Dr Charles
Dr Charles Fisher and Linda Thebridge run the renal transplant vascular doppler service. Renal transplant patients at RNSH have access to state-of-the-art ultrasound machines and an on table doppler service that ensure the transplant surgeon can ensure at the time of surgery that the kidney is in its optimal position to ensure good blood supply.
Linda Thebridge
Linda Thebridge
About Linda
Linda Thebridge is the Lead Vascular Sonographer in the Vascular Laboratory. She is currently completing a PhD specialising in renal transplant intraoperative and post operative scans and has been asked to present her data at national meetings. She has spear headed a number of initiatives in service delivery with the transplant patient front and central.
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