Dia Hurren sees the need for a dialysis machine at the Athabasca Healthcare Centre, and has started a petition to have such a machine installed there.
The petition, which is garnering lots of local support, can currently be found at a number of locations like Mike’s Pizza, Meg’s Two Scoops, The Green Spot, The Grand Union Hotel and Steve’s Towing.
Hurren says that the petition will be circulated for as long as it takes to have a unit installed locally.
“Please stand up and be counted,” Hurren said. “We need to show the government that we mean business and this is not only because of the election.”
Hurren’s mother Pat has been on dialysis for several years and will be for the rest of her life. She needs a ride to Westlock or Edmonton three times a week for her treatment.
And she’s not the only one.
Former Athabasca resident Dustin Belair moved from Athabasca to Edmonton because he couldn’t miss an appointment.
“I went on dialysis Jan. 7, 2010 at the University of Alberta Hospital in Edmonton,” he said. “To begin with, I needed a driver three times a week. I feel very ill after my treatments and could not drive all the way back to Athabasca on my own.”
After commuting back and forth, and performing lifesaving techniques on the side of the highway, Belair decided to move.
“After my fistula was formed, I was then transferred to Westlock Hospital and started driving myself,” he explained. “This worked well other than my fistula has trouble clotting so it would explode while driving and start shooting blood everywhere. Several times I had to stop along the side of the road and do the emergency treatment myself.”
In April of 2011, Belair moved to Edmonton because his remaining kidney was removed.
“This was not a move I wanted or even looked forward too. I feel extremely lonely and hate the cold city environment,” he said. “If a dialysis unit was to be set up in Athabasca and I could transfer I would move back home tomorrow.”
Athabasca Mayor Roger Morrill said that he sympathizes with the plight of current and former Athabascans.
“Anytime any of our citizens have to move away from our community, I have very strong concerns about that,” he said. “From the mayor’s perspective, I wasn’t aware that this was occurring and I am disappointed to hear it, and I certainly wish it could be fully investigated to see if it is warranted here.”
The petition has already collected approximately 200 signatures, and Hurren has been overwhelmed with the response.
“There is a great need for a Renal Dialysis Satellite Unit in the Athabasca Healthcare Centre,” she said.
“There are now 17 to 20 patients or more that travel from Athabasca to Edmonton and Westlock for dialysis treatments, three times per week, with more patients that are waiting in line to start their first treatments.”
Hurren had to quit her job to take care of her mother, and drive her back and forth from her appointments.
“The traveling is physically hard on the patients as well as the family members that travel with them and support them,” she said. “There is a lab in the Athabasca Hospital that is capable of completing the weekly and monthly blood work that each patient needs.”
The hospital is also equipped with a physiotherapy department, which the patients would benefit from.
“If there was a dialysis unit in Athabasca, this would help the patients and create more job opportunities in our district.”
