In the year 1979 Dr. George Nicholson along with Dr. Victor Evelyn, pioneered the establishment of the Kidney Unit in the Queen Elizabeth Hospital.  In that early period the number of patients were few but as the years went by, patients realized that nobody knew of the dialysis unit or dialysis for that matter not even some of the doctors in the institution.  There was definitely the need for an association, so some patients along with the nurses decided on an association.

 Fortunately one of those patients was the late H Austin Husbands a lawyer who proceeded with the formation of the constitution and the establishing of the association.  The association started in the year 1988 under the late H Austin Husbands along with signatories Carol Crookendale, Sylma and Byron Reeves, Yvonne Seale, E Corbin and Mr. Orville Durrant. Meetings were held first Thursdays of the month in the conference room of the Queen Elizabeth Hospital.  Executives meetings were held in the home of one of the members.

 The association was off to a big start with the exuberant Sylma Reeves as secretary.  The fund raising began, and approximately 18000 dollars was raised by the showing of the film ‘the last emperor” but within a year we saw the passing of Mr. Husbands.  Mr. Reeves the then vice president took over management of the group.  The office of President has a three-year span, which offers an opportunity to achieve goals.  A young healthy man Mr. Ronald Brathwaite took over the role of president and we looked forward to the association going places.  That leadership lasted for a year when he mysteriously moved away from the group.  Mr. Reeves was to the rescue again and held the office for the specified time.  Margarette Scantlebury then took over the presidency after which Professor Nicholson and then Mr. Ian Weekes.  Mr. Weekes resigned in his third year leaving the position to be filled by the then vice president Mr. Theophilus Norville.  Following him was Ms Ruth Shorey and then MargaretteWilson nee Scantlebury

The Association is managed by an executive voted for at the annual general meeting and is made up of President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer and five Officers.  A Public Relation Officer is appointed by the members and is not a voted position.

In order to meet the mandate of the association we embarked on fund-raisers varying from cake sales, fish fries, luncheons, a kadooment stall, raffles and bingo nights to tag day, plant sales and green ribbon campaign.

To achieve the educational role we hosted seminars, attended and participated in health fairs, visited schools especially those which our younger patient attended, visited business places to talk with and disseminate information, hosted blood pressure days in prominent areas to attract the public and shared with the public via the radio television and print media..  Nurses were assisted financially to attend oversees conferences in U.S, Trinidad and Jamaica. 

Everywhere we went we preach transplantation as we saw that as a major aspect for a new lease on life.  Mrs. Robina Balderson came from England to champion our cause and met with the then Minister of Health.  Our transplanted patient appeared on radio and television to inform members of the public the importance of transplantation.  The association tried to have the legislation for organ donation added to the constitution of Barbados by writing and attending the constitution reform meetings to represent our cause.

As part of our support our counseling team met with new patients sometimes before treatment or after and encourage them.  Also the team visited relatives of those who died. We host parties, bus rides, fun nights all types of entertainment to which we can boast of 75% participation.

One of our projects feed the family is a way of providing foodstuff to families who are less fortunate and to ensure that on those special occasions, Christmas Easter etc that our members don’t lack.  This project is in need of ongoing funding, so therefore the team members are constantly begging to achieve success.

We met previously at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Conference room on the first Sunday of the month. The future of the association depends on you and for this reason we ask for your assistance.   The patients were uncomfortable returning to the hospital for the meeting and so we changed our meeting location.  We then met at the Island Inn Hotel.  This was short lived as we were offer accommodation at the Bridge League in Belleville with the generous support of Lady Burton for a few more years.

Sometimes we were forced to cancel our meetings to accommodate the tournaments and activity of the League.  This caused us to consider our own headquarters, and so then we moved on to Lloyd Erskine center and shortly afterwards to our headquarters in Vauxhall Christ Church.  We saw it expedient that we be closer to the Hospital and so we moved and rented our facilities on 2nd Ave Belleville.  This lasted for several years.   To date we occupy premises on Maxwell Coast Road.

Why should a person join this Association?

The BKA is a powerful group that can lobby for:

a. Changes in legislation concerning organ donation.

b. to articulate and bring about changes in the treatment of kidney disease.

c. to assist the association in achieving its goals of offering members of the public, education, support, dietary aid, and assist financially as patients may require.

d. to access benefits offer by the association e.g consult to dietitian, financial assistance, counseling

The Barbados Kidney Association ( BKA)