Birthday wishes to the Bexhill Renal Unit which this week celebrates 25 years of service. The unit provides life-saving care in the heart of the community which means local patients can have their treatment closer to home. To celebrate the anniversary they’re holding a tea-party with patients, staff, local fundraisers and the Mayor of Bexhill, Councillor Abul Azad.
Unit Manager, Lesley Guthrie, has been a nurse there for 17 years. She said: “The unit is essential for patients who live in Bexhill and the surrounding areas. If a person is dialysing for 4 hours then it is easier to do it closer to home. If they have to do it at Brighton then they have to make a difficult journey, taking out a large part of their day. Our unit contributes to a better quality of life and helps our patients deal with a chronic illness.”
The unit has seen a number of changes in its 25 year history; it opened its doors with seven basic dialysis machines and now has 22 state-of-the-art, touch-screen machines providing dialysis for 58 patients every week. Thanks to the generosity and support of local fundraisers, including the fantastic Bexhill League of Friends, the unit now provides a modern, welcoming space for all its patients.