By Brian Byrne AN art exhibition by renal dialysis patients in Wexford is the result of a pilot programme funded by the Punchestown Kidney Research Fund, founded by Kilcullen’s James Nolan. Making My Mark has opened at Braun Wexford Wellstone Renal Care Centre, which accommodates some 60 chronic renal dialysis patients from the southeast of Ireland every week. The artworks were created between February and June under the direction of artist Kate Murphy and the programme was managed by the staff of the Renal Care Centre, in partnership with Réalta/Waterford Healing Arts.
The Wexford centre is a satellite unit to University Hospital Waterford (UHW) where Réalta/Waterford Healing Arts has been delivering a wide range of arts and health programmes for decades, including a highly successful Arts Programme in Renal Dialysis. James Nolan, chairperson of PKRF, himself a former dialysis patient and a kidney transplant recipient, complimented all involved in what he described as a ‘very positive story’. James Nolan, Chairperson PKRF; Maeve Butler, Assistant Director, Réalta/Waterford Healing Arts; Kate Murphy, Artist; Pauline Atkinson, The Ballagh, Patient & Chair of the Wexford Branch of the Irish Kidney Association (IKA); Claire Meaney, Director, Réalta/Waterford Healing Arts; Carolann Flynn, Interim Unit Manager, Catherine Nunan, Clinical Nurse Specialist and Mary Coyne, Staff Nurse, Braun Wellstone Wexford Renal Care Centre.
Photos by Padraig Grant. “From the Punche.