The first meeting of the newly formed group was held on Monday 31st January 2022 with the subject of COVID vaccination for kidney patients, below is the agenda of the meeting:

1. Welcome - Chairman, Brendan Clarke-Smith MP

2. Apologies

3. COVID vaccine efficacy for kidney patients – Dr Michelle Willicombe

4. COVID vaccines deployment, a renal hospital perspective – Dr Rachel Middleton

5. A transplant patient who has been vaccinated and had COVID – Kirit Modi MBE

6. An in-centre dialysis patient who has been vaccinated and had COVID – Norman Harding

7. Questions and answers

---

Parliamentary Reception - Wednesday 6th July 2022

The National Kidney Federation (NKF) is hosting a Parliamentary Reception, sponsored by Brendan Clarke-Smith MP, on Wednesday 6^th July 2022. It will commence at 2pm, end at 4pm and will be held in Dining Room A, in the House of Commons. 

There will be speakers during the afternoon talking about dialysis treatments for kidney patients and the NKF will also be giving an update on their new campaign report regarding increasing home dialysis treatment. 

The programme for the afternoon is as follows:

2.00pm – Networking

2.45pm – Welcome and update on the NKF Increasing Home Dialysis Campaign – Kirit Modi MBE, Honorary President NKF 

Kirit is a kidney transplant recipient. He is Hon President of the National Kidney Federation (NKF) and the NBTA (National BAME Transplant Alliance), Chair of the Lister Area Kidney Patients Association (LAKPA) and Chair of the Jain and Hindu Steering Group on organ donation (JHOD). Kirit has frequently spoken at the All Party Parliamentary Kidney Group and written two Manifestos for Change; on BAME issues and on living kidney donation. He is a member of the project board for two NHSBT programmes, the Community Investment Scheme and the Living Transplant Initiative. Kirit received a Points of Light award from the Prime Minister for his work on organ donation in 2018 and an MBE in the Jubilee Birthday Honours in 2022.

2.55pm – Home Peritoneal Dialysis patient – Alison Lawrence

Ali Lawrence is a 49-year-old film, stand up comedy and Foo Fighters fan from Epping in Essex. Diagnosed with reflux nephropathy (CKD Stage 3) in her mid-twenties, she lived prior a pretty normal and healthy life up until 2018 when her kidney function dropped to CKD5. In January 2020, she was put on the transplant list and in March of that same year, started home peritoneal dialysis just before the Spring Lockdown. Since then, Ali has been hospitalised three times with peritonitis, moved from home PD to in-centre HD and missed out on a transplant. She had hoped to return to home PD in December 2021 but unfortunately the catheter only lasted three weeks before it had to be removed. Ali is passionate about raising awareness of kidney disease and being involved in research. Her hope is that by raising awareness that kidney patients get the best treatment and mental health support they can so that they can live a full and happy life.

3.00pm – Home Haemodialysis patient  - Kasonde Konie

Kasonde is a Catholic Parish Administrator who has lived with chronic kidney disease for over 20 years. She is dialysing at home again after “losing Naomi”, her kidney transplant. Because of her lived experience, Kasonde has the desire to equip others so they can move from dis-ease to ease with health challenges, she also felt drawn to become an NKF Peer Supporter. She enjoys being a cheerleader for home dialysis, an all-round chronic health champion and generally live life to the full. One of Kasonde’s favourite things is word-play, as the title of her short talk shows.

3.05pm – NHS England, Renal Services Transformation Programme – Dr Albert Power Lead of the RSTP Dialysis work stream

3.15pm - Home Haemodialysis patient - Maddy Warren

Maddy (@queenofdialysis) is the Director of Warren-Charnock Associates, providing consultancy on market access, advocacy and policy to a variety of clients in medtech and pharma. In her 23 years of thriving on home dialysis, she has been involved in a wide range of quality improvement programmes and campaigns advocating for greater access to home dialysis, patient choice, a holistic approach to kidney care and better understanding of the unique needs of young adult kidney patients. Maddy is one of the lead peer supporters for the Young Adult Kidney Group. She was previously an Executive Director in HR at Goldman Sachs and in her spare time enjoys skydiving, horse riding, doing amateur theatre and fitness. 

3.20pm  - Travelling whilst on Peritoneal Dialysis  - Bruce Cameron

Bruce is a retired engineer who ran a solar energy business in East Africa. He has been practising home peritoneal dialysis for two years and values the independence this treatment method allows.

3.25pm  - Closing remarks – Brendan Clarke-Smith MP, Chair APPKG

Brendan Clarke-Smith first qualified as teacher in 2007 after studying politics at Nottingham Trent University and gaining a PGCE in Religious Education. Brendan had a long career in teaching and even travelled the world in his former role, at one point serving as a Head Teacher in Transylvania, Romania as well as previously teaching Humanities, Social Sciences and English in Sweden, Norway and the UK. Brendan was elected in the December 2019 election with a majority of 14,013 as the MP for Bassetlaw and is Chair for the APPG for Kidneys. In January 2022, Brendan was appointed as the PPS to Nigel Adams MP, the Minister without Portfolio in the Cabinet Office.

3.30pm – 4.00pm – Networking

Invite your MP to attend the event
As a member of your constituency, please show your support of the National Kidney Federation and their work for kidney patients, by asking your MP to attend this reception. A letter can be sent to your MP, download the template letter here

Contacting your local MP is very quick and easy. You can write an email or letter to them at their constituency address. If you aren't sure who your MP is, you can find them by heading to the UK Parliament's website and entering your postcode.