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PO Box 64106
8072
Paphos
Cyprus
E Mail cyprusbeachbum@aol.com
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The Cyprus Kidney Association is a
non-profit making organisation set up specifically to raise money to supply
urgently needed medical equipment for the Renal Unit at Paphos General
Hospital. The Association is run by a small group of Volunteers and their supporters
who rely
entirely on donations and sponsorship to generate funds for the
Renal Unit.
Last year we managed to raise almost €50,000. Most of our funding has been raised by the overwhelming generosity
of the General Public in Paphos. However,
the plight of kidney suffers in the Paphos area is critical.
In Cyprus a hereditary disease affects
80,000 Cypriots of which it is estimated 35,000 could require kidney dialysis
before they reach the age of 70. In the
Paphos area alone there are 4000 that will require treatment of which 200 MAY need to commence treatment in the next
year. The Renal Unit is currently able to provide dialysis treatment for only
53 patients of all nationalities.
Patients on dialysis have to attend the
Renal Unit 3 times a week. The treatment
takes 4 to 5 hours each session. Without this life saving treatment patients
would be dead within a week.
Two years ago a major campaign was
undertaken by the Association to raise awareness of the plight of Kidney
patients in the Paphos area and to generate funds to replace the 11 dialysis
machines at the Renal Unit. The machines, whilst functional, were subject to
breakdown and poor productivity due to their age and high maintenance.
Our campaign has succeeded in raising
funds to purchase two state of the art machines which have the potential to
reduce the mortality rate of patients on dialysis by 30%. In addition,
recognising the imminent problems faced by an increasing number of potential
kidney patients, a nationwide business has donated a further three machines.
These recent achievements are very welcome. However, the remaining older
machines still need to be replaced and urgent consideration is now being given
to extend the Renal Unit to accommodate more machines to cope with demand.
Unfortunately the Government has limited resources and is reliant upon
Associations such as ours to assist them.
We understand that you have many other
requests for your support, but your help in providing kidney dialysis machines really
can save lives. This year we have donated several extra pieces of much needed
equipment and I can assure you that every Euro you give us goes into helping
the dialysis unit.
There is a way in which you could help
that would cost you nothing!!!
As last year, we are asking if you
would please consider e mailing friends to tell them that you are not sending
out Christmas cards this year but are making a donation to CYKA with the money
that you have saved on cards and postage. At just €1 per card this would make
a substantial contribution to our funds.
Please pay in direct to any Hellenic
Bank A/c 509-01-119254-01, payable to Cyprus Kidney Association
( Paphos) or
drop off a cheque or cash to my mail box 529 at the Kamares Club, please giving
your name and phone number so that we may thank you.
Do something great this Christmas, as
this small gesture really will help to save lives.
Thank you,
Andrew Lauder, CYKA committee member.
