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An extremely generous donation to Western Isles Hospital in Stornoway from the Western Isles Kidney Machine Trust will significantly benefit patients.

The Western Isles Kidney Machine Trust has very kindly donated eight HD TVs Wi-Fi Applications, twelve sets of headphones, and multiple pressure relieving cushions to help make the patients more comfortable.

When the charity made the decision to disband in 2023, they very kindly got in touch with the Renal Dialysis Unit in the Western Isles Hospital to ask how they could use the remaining funds to help patients.

NHS Western Isles Renal Dialysis Unit Senior Charge Nurse, Rebekah Macleod, said “All the staff in the Renal Dialysis Unit are extremely grateful for these most recent donations of smart TVs, headphones, and pressure relieving cushions.

“The Western Isles Kidney Machine Trust has been a huge support over the years aiding kidney patients and we want to thank them for all they have done and all their donations over the years.”

Before 1976, anyone in the Western Isles who was suffering from kidney failure had to attend Raigmore Hospital in Inverness for regular dialysis treatment as there were no dialysis machines in any hospitals in the Western Isles.

At that time, a patient from Carloway was having to travel to Inverness for his dialysis. A relative of the patient, Peter Cunningham, who was the Customs and Excise Officer in the Western Isles at the time, along with Dr Iain Murray, decided to take steps to raise sufficient funds to purchase a kidney machine. This would enable the patient to have his dialysis treatment at home, thereby avoiding the considerable inconvenience and stress of having to travel back and forth to Inverness for treatment.

The cost of a kidney machine at that time was £6,000. They managed to collect that sum of money within two weeks. The machine was purchased and placed at the patient’s sister’s home at the time, as she was a registered nurse.

The two gentlemen then decided to form a charity with a view to collect more funds for this very special cause, which would provide such treatment for anyone in the islands suffering from kidney failure. This resulted in the formation of the Western Isles Kidney Machine Trust with an additional trustee being appointed at that time as well – Colin Scott Mackenzie.

Within a very short period, a further £20,000 was collected which led to suitable equipment being purchased and a unit was set up at the Lewis Hospital for dialysis treatment. This has since evolved over the years, resulting in the excellent facilities which are now available for dialysis treatment in the Western Isles.

NHS Western Isles Chief Executive, Gordon Jamieson, said: “In some cases, dialysis could be required for the rest of a patient’s life for two or more times a week. This means that patients spend a significant amount of time in the Renal Dialysis Unit, so making the experience as comfortable as possible for them is very important.

“I would like to sincerely thank all the members of the Western Isles Kidney Machine Trust for all their hard work fundraising over the years and for their very generous donations to help the kidney failure patients in the Western Isles.”

Pictured L-R: Rebekah Macleod, Senior Charge Nurse, Renal Dialysis Unit; Ian Maciver, Colin Scott Mackenzie and John Smith, Western Isles Kidney Machine Trustee's, Pauline Nicolson, Dialysis Support Worker, and Gordon Jamieson, Chief Executive, NHS Western Isles.