LSG  Newsletter

From our Chairperson...
 

Hi everyone,

On Sunday 10th August 1997 the day dawned bright and clear for our fund raising picnic to send our athletes {Liver Support} to the World Transplant Games to be held in Sydney late September/early October. You will find details of the Games elsewhere in the Newsletter and I hope some of you at least will be able to attend the March or some of the sporting events and cheer on our competitors. We raised our target and everyone enjoyed themselves on the grassy lawn next to Gloucester House at the rear of E Block. We arranged a large barbecue and the committee baked cakes for desert. We hired a children’s entertainer, Eddie Ash, to keep the small fry and their families amused. He was very good with the little people and the day passed quickly and happily.

Please note that the Christmas luncheon will be at the same venue at 11am on Sunday 23rd November. We hope for even a bigger attendance. The weather will be warmer and Father Christmas will be there with a present for each child 12 and under. Make a date in your diary now.

With warmest wishes and the best of luck to all our esteemed athletes. Your names are listed later in this newsletter.

Cheers,

Joy Ellmers,
Chair

P.S. A special thanks to Di Ayers for word processing and Jocelyn Glencross for going to great lengths to collect jars from friends and acquaintances for “The Jam Factory”.

The following is the second of a series of profiles on the staff of our transplant team at RPA. We will bring these to you in the following issues of the Newsletter.
 

Profile - Graham Kydd - Transplant Co-ordinator

I was born on the 26th November 1952, just over the road at King George V Hospital and I spent the first five days of my life in the then neonatal intensive care unit which gave me some ideas for career options later on. I was a “navy brat” and we regularly moved around the countryside as my father received routine posting changes. We lived for a year in Frankston, Melbourne in 1959, and on a recent visit, our old farm is now a combination of supermarket and car park which was a bit depressing because of the fond memories I have of that year. Then we moved to Perth for a year, the highlights of which were the unending, unendurable heat in the summer, the “Fremantle doctor”, my mother’s near lethal migraines ,swimming off the piers at Fremantle beach and fishing trips to Rottnest Is. After one year, dad was posted back to Sydney, and had enough seniority  in the Navy not to be moved any further and we settled here in 1960. I attended that well known centre of learning, Connells Point Primary School and then Sydney Boys High School. Under performed at high school, but enjoyed my football, a little bit of rowing until informed I was too light (those were the days!) and became a semi-professional 500 card player. I had no clear concept of what I wanted to do and certainly had not considered liver transplantation! As a gormless 19 year old youth, my priorities were motorcycling, girls , trainspotting and running a church youth group, although not necessarily in that order. Professionally, I tried accounting, boat building before I commenced general nursing training at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital. After 3 years of fun and friendship, study and hard work I graduated in 1976. I worked in the Intensive Care Unit, initially nursing at the bedside and then teaching in the tutorial room as well as at the bedside. In 1986, I accepted the position of Liver Transplant Co-ordinator and met my wife Andrea. We have been together now 11 years and she is my pillar of support in difficult times. I have three step-children by Andrea, Paul, Louise and Arnie aged 24, 22 and 20. As of early this year, we are “empty nesters”, although , according to reports, this is only a temporary phenomenon. My current priorities are my wife, children, work, trainspotting, football and the church, not necessarily in that order. Paul is a factory worker in Alexandria, Louise manages a shop at Darling Harbour and Arnie has just commenced working for the local newspaper in the marketing section. Andrea has just retired and due to her nursing skills  is in continuous demand in the local community, although, she says, looking after me is a full-time position anyway. Obviously I enjoy working with the unit, I enjoy the challenge, the stimulation, being part of a crack team and helping a few people along the way. My short term goals are to support our children as they embark on their adult lives, stay well, get the fence next door fixed and hopefully spend some time next year in the Scottish Highlands ,with Andrea.

Members - please note !!!

 In the New Year, due to rising costs, unfinancial members will not be able to receive the Newsletter.

Janet’s Bit. . .
* Well the XI Transplant Games are over. Our 10 competitors did very well with most bringing home one medal including me! There were over 1200 competitors from over 51 countries, so to bring home a medal was an enormous achievement.  We all shared an atmosphere of sportsmanship and camaraderie that was second to none. The competitor that struggled to finish received more accolade and a standing ovation than the winner because everyone knew that the effort to finish was worth gold to them even if they did not come first. They had achieved their goal.
I spotted amongst the crowd Graham Kydd and his wife, Jenny Watson  and Prof. Sheill. I am sure they enjoyed it as much as we did. Congratulations again to all the competitors on their efforts...
Terence Avery, Keith Galdino, Anthony Harding, Janet Mann, Michael Parr, Helen Smith, John Treasure, John Vleeskens, Charyl Walsh and Phyliss Weeks.

* It is getting close to Christmas and we will be holding our Christmas Picnic again at Prince Alfred on Sunday 23rd November 1997. Anyone who would like to come please let us know if any children under 12 years so that Santa can bring them a present. RSVP will be 14th November. It will be held in the area behind “E” block (same as August).

* A special thank you to our stall members Bob and Betty Barker, Margaret Benedek, Margaret Berstein, Shirley Gallard, Jackie Blundell and her sister, Joy Ellmers, our stall providers Greg Worthington, Julie Gunn and family, Margaret Wafer, Pam Grosse and many others, for without their efforts we would not be able to keep going.

* Six of our members attended a workshop on Training and Equipping Speakers Course run by the Australian Kidney Foundation at St Vincent’s Hospital. It was very informative and helpful. It gave us some ideas on how to speak to a group on transplantation and Donor Awareness. Anyone who is interested in knowing more about this please get in touch with Joy Ellmers on 02 9969 1983.

Johns Bit. . .
Thanks Catherine and others for the material that has been sent for newsletters etc. Due to space restrictions this time it will be presented in the next issue. Fellow transplants with computers who wish to send in contributions please send me a disk  as well as printed copy if possible. It just makes it that little bit easier. You can send it to me in any format. It may be on large or small disks and Dos, Windows 3 or Windows 95.  One of our future endeavours will be to establish a site on the Internet.  Our Heart/Lung and Kidney colleagues already have this set up. Suggestions etc. for this are most welcome and anyone who knows of businesses etc whom may be able to donate used computer equipment etc please contact me.

Here and There. . .
* Where was the only  place 2000 people could have enjoyed themselves so much ???
The Gala Dinner night at the culmination of the Transplant Games. In my many years in the entertainment industry we have never seen so many people have such a good time as at this event. It was great to see Donor Families, Transplants, staff and others all join in the dancing etc. The feeling in the room was of great brotherhood and it touched all those I spoke to.
                John Miller.

* On the 23rd of November is our Christmas Party to be held in the grounds  behind “E” Block at RPA.  RSVP is 14th November - For Santa’s sake please let us know how many children under 12 will be attending. Details are contained elsewhere in this Newsletter.

* There is news around that a certain transplant of 1 year is going to marry the mum of a 3 year old awaiting transplant. Two liver transplants in one household ! This may be a first in this country - keep an ear out for further developments.
 

Financial Report as at 22-8-97
Opening Balance     9540-62
 

Plus Deposits
Subs	200-00
Stall Takings	2887-10
Raffle	1120-00
Fund Raising	477-00
Donation	500-00
Misc.	290-00
	15014-72
Less Outgoings
Patient Support	951-90
Printing and Stationary	277-84
Postage	178.50
Fund Raising	656-00
Auditor Fees	200-00
Bank Charges	22-47
Contra	300-00
Office Equipment	410-00
Insurance	343-42
Dept Consumer Affairs	30-00
Donation	6000-00
Misc.	118.65
	9488-78
BALANCE	$5525-94
BANK BALANCE	$11525-94
Less Unpresented Cheque	6000-00
	5525-94

 
 

Recipes. . .

ROCK CAKES - (Low Fat)
240g  W/meal S/R flour 240g mixed dried fruit
1 tspn vanilla essence  60g margarine
1 cup skim milk  artificial sweetener
Mix all ingredients. Divide into 12. Place on baking tray. Bake 20mins at 180 c
Serves 12
                                Courtesy Jan Campbell.

Last modified: 11 May 2000