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Closing Speech
Please note, this page is a summary of the full conference speech (click here for the full transcript).
Fred
Tring
Past Chairman and Past President of the NKF.
In February 1978 Mr Tring's wife, Evelyn, was diagnosed with polycystic kidney disease after tests at the Churchill Hospital, Oxford. The consultant nephrologist, Dr Des Oliver, doing his ward round with his entourage, explained that this lady, Mrs Tring, was nearing end stage renal failure, would have a fistula and shortly afterwards would be on dialysis.
He was rudely interrupted by the patient, who said "Hey, it's me you are talking about and you should be talking to me. I'm not sure if any of these things are going to happen to me".
Her husband arrived in the ward in time to pour a little oil on troubled waters. That was his introduction to the renal world.
"Unfortunately my wife died after nine and a half years on dialysis and a successful transplant operation, because of an aneurysm which ruptured 24 hours after the operation", said Mr Tring.
The Federation had been preceded by the founding of 14 KPAs. Brian Permain was the founding chairman, Ruth Lupton founding secretary and Harry Thomas the first member of the first executive committee .In 1979 Mr Tring was elected to the executive committee.
Des Oliver, a New Zealander and a top- flight rugby player who had the foresight to realise the future impact of patient power, did much to encourage the formation of the Federation and chaired the first conference in a Medical School Lecture Theatre in London which held only 50 delegates.
When Ruth Lupton died in 1983, family and friends contributed to fund Lupton annual awards to patients and staff for special achievements. In 1989, on Brian Permain's death, his name was added to the title, and the awards continued until 1998, when the funds had been depleted. Mr Tring suggested that a plaque commemorating the founders should be placed at the Worksop headquarters.
In 1992 the title of the Federation was changed from the National Federation of Kidney Patients Associations to the National Kidney Federation. In 1987 Mr Tring was elected as chairman. The office was still a room in Margaret and Barry Jackson's bungalow, but the office was outgrowing the space, and the NKF bought the Worksop office for a little over £35,000. Worksop was chosen because it was convenient for the one employee, Margaret Jackson, and property was much cheaper there than in London or any other major city.
Sir Michael McNair-Wilson MP for Newbury, a kidney patient at Churchill Hospital who had been elected president of the NKF, opened the office at Worksop. The tenth birthday of the Federation was celebrated at the Cavendish Hotel in London.
Mr Tring became chairman of a new body, TIME (Transplants in Mind), run by a PR company funded by Sandoz, now Novartis. Four years ago TIME obtained a Section 64 grant from the Department of Health and became a registered charity in its own right.
"I still regard the improvement of donation rates as one of the most important functions of the NKF", said Mr Tring.
He urged delegates never to forget the NKF slogan, "Run by kidney patients for kidney patients".
Please note, this page is a summary of the full conference speech (click here for the full transcript).
Conference
2003 - Council Meeting
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