BRAD Rossiter knows firsthand how important having a renal ward is in Moruya, he has suffered from type one diabetes since the age of six.
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The Surfside resident is overjoyed to be involved in the process of moving Moruya Hospital’s current renal ward into the new sub-acute building.
Seven years ago, Mr Rossiter was the lucky recipient of a donor kidney, up until that point he had been on dialysis treatment.
“We have only had a renal ward at Moruya hospital since 2005 and it is fantastic,” he said.
“Before the unit was here I had to travel to Canberra three times a week.
“It would take me two hours to travel up and then four hours for treatment and then another two hours to travel home.
“It was a full day and I am very thankful to the people that worked so hard, both those that are still with us and other that have since passed, for their efforts.
“We were lucky we got some politicians in headlocks over the issue, including our current Treasurer Andrew Constance, who has supported the project from the beginning.”
During his battle with diabetes Mr Rossiter became a double amputee and has since been a tireless campaigner raising awareness for the importance of organ donation and kidney health.
Mr Rossiter is now a member of the Renal Users Committee that will meet next Tuesday to discuss the placement of beds in the renal ward.
The current renal ward has seven chairs and can cater up to 28 people a week for dialysis treatment. The Southern NSW Local Health District plans to move the existing ward into the new building.
Mr Rossiter said moving into the new facility was “magic” and would benefit the whole district.
“It’s a great positive step forward for the Eurobodalla to not only get a wonderful new sub-acute ward, an oncology ward and a new renal ward,” he said.
“I think the oncology ward was a bit of an embarrassment to the hospital but this new facility will enable carers to come and have somewhere to sit while people are receiving treatment.”