‘Walk for Dialysis’ goes Friday

This year’s 20-mile “Walk for Dialysis” is taking place this Friday (Sept. 22) and a good turnout is anticipated.
This will mark Tom Bruyere’s seventh year walking for dialysis. And with more than $60,000 raised for the new hemodialysis unit at La Verendrye Hospital here, it definitely has been worth the effort.
“It’s great to have dialysis available in Fort Frances for the people of the Rainy River District and First Nations,” said Bruyere. “It’s a much-needed service and it is now provided in a first-class health care facility.”
The Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre opened a satellite hemodialysis unit at La Verendrye back in September, 2001. Since then, the service already has been expanded to accommodate additional patients.
“When it started in 2001, it [the dialysis program] accommodated 24 patients,” noted Bruyere. “Just this year, they added an evening shift, which allows for another 12 patients.
“Right now, 31 of the 36 spaces are being utilized,” he added.
Prior to dialysis being offered at La Verendrye, district residents were forced to travel to Thunder Bay three times per week to receive this service.
“It definitely has alleviated the extreme hardship that was placed on families who had to travel for this service,” Bruyere said.
This year, participants are expected from Energy Fitness Centre, area First Nations, and a group of supporters from Emo who walk in memory of the late Metta Visser, a long-time advocate for the need to have dialysis services available in Rainy River district.