PEOPLE living with kidney disease are being supported with their travel plans by the launch of Kidney Health Australia’s new mobile treatment vehicle, the Big Red Kidney Bus, with a schedule of stops-offs in popular get-away destinations, including Coffs Harbour.

The Big Red Kidney Bus is a mobile treatment room for people living with kidney disease to allow them to take holidays away from their usual hospital.

Advertise with News of The Area today.
It’s worth it for your business.
Message us.
Phone us – (02) 4981 8882.
Email us – media@newsofthearea.com.au

The new state of the art bus will travel to holiday destinations across NSW and will be stopping in Coffs Harbour from Monday 1 May 1 to Saturday 3 June 2023, located at Park Beach Holiday Park, 1 Ocean Parade, Coffs Harbour.

Any kidney patient can book an appointment which means patients can visit their family and friends in and around Coffs Harbour knowing their treatment can be continued during their holiday.

Kidney patients spend an average of 60 hours a month on dialysis, strapped to a machine having their blood cleaned.

They can be in hospital for three days a week, meaning holidays take a lot more planning to ensure they have access to treatment.

The Big Red Kidney Bus, which launched its New South Wales operation in 2017, allows people affected by kidney disease and needing haemodialysis the opportunity to go on holiday across the state, with access to treatment on the road.

More than 14,500 people nationwide and 4,300 in New South Wales require dialysis to clean their blood each day due to kidney disease meaning time with families and friends, and holiday time, is either heavily restricted or not possible.

Since the Big Red Kidney Bus program began in New South Wales, over 500 families have travelled from all over Australia to enjoy holidays using the medical facilities available on the bus.

The new bus was unveiled at the end of October by Health Minister Brad Hazzard.

It operates in partnership between Kidney Health Australia and Royal North Shore Hospital, offering clinically supported dialysis treatment to people on haemodialysis.

Kidney Health Australia CEO Chris Forbes said the Big Red Kidney Bus program brought an enormous sense of freedom and improved quality of life to people on dialysis and their families.

“When people go on dialysis, they are suddenly living a far more restricted life and mourn their loss of freedom,” said Chris.

“Our aim with the program is to return some of that freedom to them, something we all take for granted, or at least we used to before the pandemic.”

People living with kidney disease can book as many sessions as required on the Big Red Kidney Bus by visiting Kidney Health Australia’s website at www.kidney.org.au/bigredkidneybus.

By Andrea FERRARI