Transplant Links is a charity which encourages life saving kidney transplantion in developing countries. Its aim is to help local medical services develop a kidney transplant program by nuturing and developing local expertise.

At present the only treatment available for patients with end stage kidney disease in Jamaica is dialysis.  Unfortunately dialysis is associated with a poor quality of life and a markedly reduced life expectancy. In addition it is extremely costly and therefore not affordable by all. Kidney transplantation would provide patients with a longer and better quality of life. In addition it is far more cost effective than life long dialysis.  

Unfortunately at present there is no transplant program in Jamaica. The charity Transplant Links is working with the main local government hospital in Monetgo Bay  to set up such a program. To do so  a team of volunteers consisting of UK doctors and nurses travelled out to Jamaica to oversee the first few transplants and also to train the local team, helping them establish an independent service. We went out last year and 3 transplants were successfully performed.

The 3 patients who had transplants last year are doing very well. So much so that another trip is planned in October this year to carry out 3 or 4 more transplants whilst training the local team. Obviously all this takes money, we are lucky enough to have accommodation provided but travel costs need to be covered hence the plea for donations.

This is a very worthwhile cause as it aims to build self sustaining programs that do not need long term support. And no you will not be paying for my food and beer - this will come out of my own rather shallow pockets