NKFpresented our Charity Musical “Titoudao” to do more for Peritoneal Dialysis (PD) patients and increase awareness of this treatment as a good alternative to haemodialysis. The event was a huge success, raising over $700,000. All proceeds will go directly towards benefiting needy PD patients.

NKF’s PD Community Support Programme provides home-based support for PD patients and their caregivers. Trained and experienced PD nurses work closely with the hospitals to help patients cope with PD at home. They identify challenges faced by patients and their families during home visits and collaborate with hospitals to help them start well and stay well on PD.

To better serve PD patients, NKF launched 2 new PD initiatives at the Charity Musical “Titoudao”.

NKF will be increasing its subsidies to its 200 PD patients and from 1 July onwards, the fees of PD patients will be reduced by $100 each month. With the increase in subsidies and enhanced support, there will be a 27% increase in the yearly amount to benefit PD patients, totalling $7.63 million in three years. Once the new measure kicks in, more than 60% of NKF’s PD patients will be fully subsidised and need not pay anything for their dialysis. Stepped-up Nurses Support

• Patients and their families need to adapt what they have learnt in the hospital to the home-based setting. NKF will support the patients with an extended period of hand-holding up to one month with daily home visits until patients are stable.

• Even after one month, we are committed to providing the necessary support where there is a need as patients’ safety and well-being are of utmost priority.

Dietetic Support

• Data shows that 50% of kidney patients have some degree of malnutrition. Many PD patients are not eating enough when they start their dialysis. They need to eat right which is more protein and food high in potassium. By having dietitians going to their homes, we hope to clarify their doubts on PD diet and help them adapt and keep up to their PD nutritional requirements.

Volunteer Support

• Besides support from medical social workers, volunteers will serve as companions to patients staying alone or to elderly patients with elderly caregivers, on a bi-weekly basis. They will also help with grocery shopping and light housekeeping.

With the increase in subsidies and enhanced support, PD patients will receive a total of $7.63 million in three years from 1 July 2015 onwards.