Heartbeat September 2018

4
Hospital chaplain urges Asian
community to join the register
CORPORATE AND GENERAL
NEWS
Hindu Chaplain, Rakesh Bhatt,
whose wife underwent a lifesaving
kidney transplant after a
12 year wait, has urged the Asian
community to join the register.
The 53-year-old revealed his family’s
journey during Organ Donation Week
(September 3- 9). His wife Bhavana
Bhatt, 49, was told in 2006 that
both her kidneys were failing due
to complications caused by Henoch-
Schonlein purpura (HSP) - a disease
which causes blood vessels in the skin,
kidneys, intestines and joints to become
inflamed and start leaking. Bhavana
went on the waiting list, but a match
wasn’t found until 2018.
Dad-of-two Rakesh said to Heartbeat:
“Bhavana had the transplant but we
were told it had failed within 48 hours
and she went back onto the list. She had
already waited seven years for the first
transplant and we were left devastated
when it didn’t work.
“Afterwards we were worried about
how much longer we would have to
wait for another match to come forward
as the Asian community is very reluctant
to join the register, which means there is
a shortage of donors.”
It wasn’t until February this year that a
match was finally found – 12 years after
Bhavana first joined the register.
“We were still hopeful that it would work,
despite our previous experience. The
operation was a success, and Bhavana’s
body hasn’t rejected the kidney. She is doing
extremely well.
“I have witnessed first-hand, through my
work as a hospital chaplain that Asian patients
in need of a donor are waiting longer than
others.
“We need to encourage more people within
our Asian communities to come forward. I
think there is a general lack of awareness
around organ donation and so we need to
carry out more community events to promote
how joining the register can save lives. This
would work especially well if it is done by
religious leaders.
“I also work within a temple, and I regularly
invite clinicians from organ donation teams
to come along and talk about the subject and
why it is so important to join the register.”
Both Sandwell and City sites held events
earlier this month, during Organ Donation
Week, to raise awareness around the subject.
A life size version of the game Operation was
at the Birmingham Treatment Centre, where
patients, visitors and staff will be able to have
a go at removing organs from “Cavity Sam”.
Judith Martin, Specialist Nurse Organ
Donation, said: “It’s a fun and interactive
way to learn about organ donation and this
is what we’d like people to do with their
families for Organ Donation Week – just have
a chat.
“If you are unsure about donation, please ask
yourselves as a family; what would you do
if one of you needed a transplant? Would
you accept a life-saving organ? If you’d take
an organ, shouldn’t you be prepared to
donate?”
Millions of people are already on the
NHS Organ Donor Register, join them
today and tell your family you want to
save lives. Register at organdonation.
nhs.uk.
Kidney transplant
patient Bhavana
Bhatt with her
husband Rakesh
Bhatt
Just four months
after her kidney
transplant Bhavana
Bhatt is fighting fit
L-R: Sandra Annikey-Gordon, Senior Sister
on Critical Care; Kelly Birks, Sister on
Critical Care; Patrick Thompson from Kreate
company; Judith Martin, Organ Donation
Nurse: Reverend Ann Stevenson and Phil
Barrett from Kreate company
Fracture clinic given revamp by budding
art students
Black Country art students have
patients, staff and visitors.
transformed the waiting room in the
fracture clinic at Sandwell Hospital by
creating a colourful mural on the wall.
The “enchanting” handiwork, named
"Window on the World” has been painted
by students from Sandwell College. The
budding artists took on the challenge as
part of their community arts module. It was
co-ordinated by healthcare charity Kissing
it Better.
The clinic had no natural light, so they
designed a mural featuring large windows
depicting scenes of the borough’s
multicultural communities.
Sam Beck, Matron for the clinic, explained:
“It’s a really impressive piece of work that
has brightened up the area. We wanted
to create an environment for our patients
which was uplifting and we feel like the
students have done just that. We want to
thank them and Kissing it Better for all their
help in creating this mural and transforming
the clinic by painting the walls.”
Jessica Morera is one of the students who
painted the mural. She said: ”This project
will make a real difference to patients.
There are no windows in the reception area,
so we wanted to paint some onto the walls,
giving people the feeling that they can see
something beyond the clinic.”
The makeover was conceived and organised
by Kissing it Better, a national healthcare
charity that promotes simple ideas to
improve patient experience. The charity
works at both Sandwell and City hospitals,
creating projects where students can
use their talents to make a difference to
Jill Fraser, CEO of Kissing it Better, said:
“The hospital waiting experience can often
be boring and stressful. The students have
given families visiting Sandwell Hospital’s
fracture clinic the gift of an enchanting and
uplifting waiting experience.”
L-R: John McKeon, Head of Section for Construction
at Sandwell College, Jackie Roxborough, from Kissing
it Better, Lisa Comfort, Ward Sister at Fracture Clinic,
Helen Sweeting, Art and Design Lecturer at Sandwell
College.