March 2013 - Hunter New England Health - NSW Government

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Kidney transplant a gift of brotherly love Steven Kendaura would do anything for his big brother, but the gift that Steven offered did cause some turmoil for Kapiro Kendaura. Steven, a robust 36-year-old school teacher, wanted to donate one of his kidneys to save his brother’s life. “Steven’s a healthy sort of bloke and for him to go into all that… it’s a big stress for him, psychologically and physically, and he’s got a young family, so I was really troubled inside,” Kapiro Kendaura said. But Steven’s mind was set and his decision was part of a cascade of events and kindness which saved Kapiro's life and restored him to a community that depends on the 38-year-old. Kapiro Kendaura is a doctor. He was acting Director of Medical Services at Goroka Hospital in Papua New Guinea, when kidney failure turned him into a patient; a patient with only months to live. Needing specialist care, Kapiro was transferred to Port Moresby Hospital, where he confronted the idea that time was closing in. “I’ve been into the grave, walking in the valley of death,” he said. But a chance encounter spun destiny’s wheel. John Ferguson, the Director of Infection Prevention and Control for Hunter New England Health, was making one of his regular lecture tours to Port Moresby, when he learned of Kapiro’s situation. The PNG medical fraternity was fundraising to pay for Kapiro’s care and dialysis, but the money was running out. Dr Ferguson went to work on a complex plan; a plan that would involve diplomats, medical authorities in both countries, the specialist transplant team at John Hunter Hospital, and the staff of Hunter New England (HNE) Health. Money was donated by staff to a special fund to aid Kapiro’s medical rescue. When Steven stepped forward, offering himself as a donor, the plan accelerated, but urgent visas were required, including medical clearances to allow Kapiro’s transfer to Australia. He had suffered TB as a child and there would be no transfer until tests showed he was clear of disease. The brothers have a strong Christian faith and they prayed as the obstacles were steadily moved aside. Travelworld Newcastle stepped in to pay for some of the airfares and in late October 2012, the Kendaura brothers arrived at John Hunter Hospital. They met their transplant physician, Dr Paul Trevillian, who is director of the hospital’s transplant unit. The men were also introduced to the transplant surgical team, director of infection prevention and control, dr john feguson, steven kendaura, dr kapiro kendaura & director o Dr Phillip Sprott and Dr Munish Heer, and transplant coordinators, Ann Stein and Deidre Davidson. As Kapiro attended dialysis sessions, Steven was briefed about the process and prepared for the donation of his kidney. His wife Andi and their daughter were with him all the way. “I’ve been a bit scared because I’ve never been through any kind of major operation so I was a bit fearful, but I know that the good Lord is with us and everything will run smoothly. “My faith helps me through the operation,” Steven said. In early December, the transplant went ahead. Three days later, Dr Trevillian shared a crucial message: “Great news! Kapiro’s biopsy shows no rejection. Steven is also making an excellent recovery." Today, two months since surgery, Kapiro is doing very well and he’s about to resume work in Goroka, this time as the head of the region’s new clinical school. Kapiro will need years of ongoing support in PNG and might he need assistance to maintain treatment with the expensive immunosuppressive medication. Acts of compassion and kindness can often resonate into the future, and we’re seeing that now. The staff fund which helped the Kendaura family will stay in operation, operating as the PNG Compassionate Project Fund, ready to lend support for future medical rescues. Back in PNG, Kapiro confronts a troubling fact about kidney disease in his country. “Right now, 90 per cent of people with kidney problems die, because we don’t have dialysis set up in public hospitals," he said. His faith and his energy are now squarely focused on these machines. Kapiro says he doesn’t know how to thank all the people who stood with him on his journey. But he may be staring at the answer. His benefactors could think of no better result than a campaign to save even more people, in a country that struggles to achieve the level of medical care other countries accept as normal. Kapiro will work to build his medical networks in Australia and around the world, hopefully finding ways to source the dialysis equipment that could extend the lives of so many of his compatriots. 8
Keeping kidneys viable Dr Paul Trevillian is also a proud advocate of the newly established Hunter Transplant Research Foundation. The partnership with the Hunter Medical Research Institute, the foundation is conducting translational research into projects that will directly benefit patients undergoing renal transplantation. The Foundation has two main goals: • The first is the investigation of ways to maintain the condition of kidneys from a deceased donor. For all the advances in transplantation, kidneys still suffer damage while diffused in cold solutions. The bodies of recipients detect that damage and try to kill the damaged cells, complicating recovery. The researchers are looking for ways to mask the damage in donor kidneys to minimise the rejection process in the recipient. • The second crucial arm of the research involves transplantation tolerance. The team is looking for ways to give initial treatment to transplant recipients, which would mean they don’t have to take anti-rejection drugs for the rest of their life. Potentially, it’s research that will increase the availability of viable donor kidneys and improve the longer term survival of donor recipients. This research also has the potential to discover a range of benefits outside of transplantation, assisting patient groups such as stroke and heart attack victims. You will hear much more about this ground-breaking team. f tansplant services dr paul trevillian inNovated Leasing It’s Simply About Paying Less For Your Car & Expenses Existing, New & Used Lower Purchase Price – GST Free + Discounts Lower Running Expenses Hassle Free buying * The distance you drive is not important You save money because of how you pay for your car (& expenses), not from how far you drive. Owning a car has now become easier Car Purchasing Discounts Your choices don’t change All that changes is how you pay for your car & of course, how much more salary you take home To see how much you will save, go to : inNovated.com.au or email : info@inNovated.com.au Obligation Free Consultation or call : 1300 787 785 hnehealth.nsw.gov.au 9
Page 1 and 2: HNE Health Matters Issue 81 March 2
Page 3 and 4: From Ireland to Moree, with no regr
Page 5 and 6: dow Project officer, Community Fall
Page 7: A fresh approach to saluting Excell
Page 11 and 12: Kaleidoscope news Mothers support n
Page 13 and 14: Volunteer profile Alysha Gill, Occu
Page 15 and 16: Social pics... The NSW Minister for

March 2013 - Hunter New England Health - NSW Government

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