I Feel Good from My Head, TOMATOES!
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Summer 2021 Issue 13 I feel good It would sure do from my head, me good to do TOMATOES! you good Advice on how to Reaching out to support safely include higher each other in tough times potassium foods in your diet Happier and healthier on dialysis Nick Palmer explains why a transplant isn’t always the best option In this Summer issue Features Page Music – the medicine of the mind 12 12 Music and mental health during lockdown Drawing on my fighting spirit 30 Discover the power of art It would sure do me good to do Food, glorious food 32 you good. Let me help Not all super heroes wear capes – help with home-schooling during lockdown Spicy cherry tomato and ricotta 20 pasta A simple and tasty tomato pasta recipe Whimsical Woodland Way. especially prepared for kidney patients 36 Naughty Morty and Me. A patient journey that led to the creation of a popular children’s book I feel good from my head, 22 TOMATOES! How tomatoes can be safely included in Medical your diet Having a stent removed after your 8 transplant Page What is a stent, what does it do and how is 30 it removed? Kidney Clinic – Hearts and bones: 16 CKD-MBD Chronic kidney disease-mineral bone disease explained Do we need to worry about weight 34 and transplantation? A look at how weight management can affect kidney patients following transplant Page On your side 22 Answering your questions about 10 Covid-19 Kidney Care UK’s online advice and webinars reassure thousands of people with chronic kidney disease 3 Welcome to Message Kidney Matters from the editor Welcome to the summer issue of Kidney Matters. This summer has been a long time coming. Whilst we have all eagerly anticipated the arrival of warmer, longer days with more freedom, many still feel uncertain about venturing further afield than their own garden and what safe, social interaction actually means. We hope you find the information contained in this issue reassuring and that our great patient contributions bring a smile to your face. Hi all, If you need to re-fuel emotionally, you will be interested to read Jackie Pilcher’s article containing Welcome to the summer edition of Kidney Matters, hints and tips on how to navigate troubled times. after what for many must seem like a 12 months Jackie leads our team of experienced Kidney Care UK winter! The vaccination programme is rolling out at counsellors and is someone who has spent a great pace, and although we await the results of research deal of time over the past year and a half helping to see how effective the vaccines are for kidney people find perspective and purpose in their life. patients, I have no doubt that thoughts are starting to turn to holidays for the first time in a long time. On the other hand, if the help you need is more practical, you will be pleased to meet Dr Jan Gough, Although staycations may well be at the top of many our newly appointed Director of Patient Services. people’s lists, rather than exotic locations further Jan, you’re in for a busy year! afield, the chance to have a break and meet up with family and friends not seen for so long gives us all And if it’s uplifting, inspiration personal something to look forward to. However, as UK hotels achievements you’re after, look no further than start to get booked up, kidney patients must NOT Amanda and Emma, who took the time after their be left behind. That is why we have been working kidney transplants to explore their creative ability. hard with the Renal Association to issue guidance As you will see, the results are incredible. and guidelines to renal units right across the We all hope you enjoy the summer, this issue of country to open up their Dialysis Away From Base Kidney Matters and ….your first post-vaccine hug! programmes as soon as it is safe to do so. Finally, I am delighted to see that the merger between the Renal Association and the British Renal Society has been given the green light, and will go Deborah Duval ahead this year with the formation of the UK Kidney Association – creating one national body to support all kidney health professionals from doctors and Who’s who nurses to counsellors, social workers and dietitians. Editor...............................................Deborah Duval The whole team needed to provide truly patient- Deputy Editor............................................Sue Lyon centred care to the whole community. Deputy Editor... .................................Sumaya Masood Here’s hoping for better times ahead for us all! Designer ...............idmedia (contact [email protected]) Kidney Kitchen photos . .Beth Druce www.bethdruce.com Printing, packing & posting..........www.pollardsprint.co.uk Paul Bristow, Chief Executive, Kidney Care UK Get in touch Visit: www.kidneycareuk.org E: [email protected] Call us on: 01420 541424 ©Kidney Care UK 2021 is the operating name of the British Kidney Patient Association. A charitable company limited by guarantee. Kidney Care UK, 3 The Windmills, St Mary’s Close, Registered in England and Wales (1228114). A charity registered Turk Street, Alton, GU34 1EF in England and Wales (270288), and Scotland (SCO48198). Kidney Kitchen is a registered trademark of the British Kidney Patient Association. Issue 13 | Summer 2021 4 At your service. We welcome Dr Jan Gough to Kidney Care UK as Director of Patient Support Services Offering accessible, trustworthy patient support underpins everything we do here at Kidney Care UK. With Jan on board as our newly appointed Director of Patient Support Services, we are poised to help many more of the three million people in the UK affected by chronic kidney disease. Jan Gough joined Kidney Care UK in February 2021 position of Assistant Director of Services. Prior to this, as the newly appointed Director of Patient Support Jan worked for the CQC, the national regulator for Services. This is an exciting new role introduced into Health and Social Care, and before that she spent nine the charity to help build on the fantastic work already years at one of the Age UK brand partner organisations being done by the advocacy officers, the counselling as Director of Operations and CEO. team and patient grant support team across the Jan’s approach to service design is through regions and the nations in the UK. In addition, this role engagement and coproduction to consider all will help to grow and develop new digital and face-to- aspects of a person’s need (and changing need) both face services to support the needs of patients, and emotional and psychological, and physical. Some their families and carers in the coming years. of her most recent service designs have been based Jan brings experience of service design and delivery on the New Economics Foundation’s ‘Five Ways to and joins us from Diabetes UK where she held the Wellbeing’ principles – connect, being physically active, learning new skills, giving to others and Dr Jan Gough mindfulness. This approach also aligns itself with the World Health Organization’s definition of health being ‘more than the absence of disease’. How do Kidney Care UK’s patient support services align with these principles? • Connect: We connect to you in many ways - via our national network of advocacy officers, our webinars, Kidney Matters and across social media • Physically active: We join you in being physically active in events that challenge us, keep us physically fit and sometimes help us raise much-needed funds • Learning: We share trusted information with you about all aspects of chronic kidney disease (CKD) via our patient information leaflets, our website, across our social media platforms and in Kidney Matters • Giving: You help us support other people affected by CKD by raising an incredible amount of money every year for us • Mindfulness: Life with CKD can get really tough at times. Our team of professional counsellors are here to help support you through these difficult times. www.kidneycareuk.org 5 During Jan’s first couple of weeks with us she commented on the strength of the support, advice “This is an exciting new role and guidance available to people affected by CKD and how this had helped during the recent year introduced into the charity to when so many people were shielding and lacking social contact. The extraordinary efforts across all help build on the fantastic teams within Kidney Care UK meant that the charity continued to offer its full support to everyone, work already being done by notwithstanding the challenges of Covid-19. We know that services will become even more important the advocacy officers, the as we exit the lockdown. More of us will need help to readjust following an extensive period of shielding and counselling team and patient social distancing. Rest assured, Kidney Care UK will continue as it has through the last year to offer the help grants support team“ and care to people in the coming months and years. We will adapt our support to meet people’s changing needs, but always retain at the heart of all our decisions what is most important to people who use the services we offer. Our advocacy service We have a team of 14 advocacy officers. Advocacy is all about taking action on behalf of people. Every week the team receives hundreds of enquiries about benefits, housing, transport, dialysis choices, work and simply managing day-to-day life. Our advocacy officers help patients to gain access to the right people, services and support, and to ensure every patient is properly represented. Our counselling service Whether you are worried about dialysis options, transplantation or simply managing everyday life, our professional counsellors are able to listen and offer help and support to those who are unable to access counselling services in their local kidney unit.