The Western Desert Nganampa Walytja Palyantjaku Tjutaku Aboriginal Corporation is the non-government organisation formed to continue the work of the Western Desert Dialysis Appeal. The name means ‘keeping all our families well'.
The Dialysis Appeal started in 2000, when people from the Western Desert painted pictures and held an auction at the Art Gallery of NSW. They raised over $1 million to support patients in Alice Springs and to set up dialysis facilities out in the bush. Their aim was to return people to their country and families where they belong.
The funds raised allowed a dialysis facility to be set up at Kintore in 2004. This was the first remote dialysis machine in Central Australia and the Western Desert communities are justifiably proud of what they have achieved. A second facility is now being established at Yuendumu and further sites are planned.
Community families continue to care for their members who have kidney disease, seek support for their work and share their story with other remote communities who battle with the same problems.
They are also working to reduce the incidence of kidney disease in the hope that their children and grandchildren will not need arduous dialysis treatment.
As a result of the facilities, people are healthier, living longer and more community members are seeking treatment earlier.
Each year around 45 new Aboriginal patients from the Western Desert are forced to leave their communities and to move to Alice Springs to receive dialysis treatment. |
Dialysis patient Maurice and marlu (kangaroo) |
While there has been some government support, there are still many gaps in funding that the Corporation is trying to fill. Support from the wider Australian community is therefore essential.
You can donate directly to WDNWPT by sending a cheque or postal order to WDNWPT, PO Box 5060, Alice Springs NT 0871 or by direct bank deposit. To request their bank account details you can contact the Program on 08 8953 6444 (fax 08 9536222) or by email at wdnwpt@bigpond.nospam.net.au (delete nospam). Donations are usually tax-deductible for Australian residents. For more information, and to add your name to the Program's mailing list, you can visit the Western Desert Dialysis Program Web site.
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The Western Desert Dialysis Program