Free blood pressure, blood sugar, and cholesterol screenings were offered to the public as part of the Cayman Islands Hospital’s recognition of World Kidney Day.
Dozens of people waited in line at the atrium of the Cayman Islands Hospital to get their numbers checked to find out if they were at risk for kidney disease, diabetes or other illnesses.
Two volunteer nurses carried out the screenings and passed the results to Dr. Moses Gallow, general practitioner at the Heath Services Authority, who analyzed the results to determine if further medical attention was needed.
“I’m interpreting the results, and explaining if [people] need to go on to see a doctor. We are screening for kidney disease … So far I’ve interpreted a few results, and I’ve seen many abnormal results,” said Dr. Gallow.
He added that high blood pressure, diabetes and high cholesterol directly affect the kidneys, “so if you have any of these conditions, we have to take care of them to prevent damages to the kidneys.” He said preventative measures can be taken but not always, as the disease is sometimes hereditary. “I would advise regular visits to their physicians, get screened, and really a healthy lifestyle is advised, like exercising and dieting,” said Dr. Gallow.
The screenings come in the same week that the Pan American Health Organization reports that in Latin America and the Caribbean, one in three older adults suffers from one of the six most common age-related chronic diseases: hypertension, diabetes, heart disease, cerebrovascular disease, arthropathy, or chronic lung disease.
As well as getting free screenings Thursday, members of the public also got to tour the hospital’s dialysis unit. A group of Year 12 students from the Cayman Islands Further Education Centre were given a educational tour, led by registered nurse, Chris Alagaratnam. During the tour of the unit, students learned about the process of treating kidney disease through dialysis, how to take preventative measures against the disease, and also got to speak to Tammy Parsons, a patient receiving dialysis treatment.
Ms. Parsons was diagnosed with kidney failure at age 32 and has been receiving dialysis treatments for just over 10 years. “The hardest part is time, a lot of time is taken out of your day. I’m [here] four hours, three times a week,” she said.
As a result of spending most her time in treatment, Ms. Parsons can only keep a part-time job, but she remains positive about the future.
“If you have to come into dialysis, you have to keep a positive attitude, despite the complications that may come up … Good family support helps a lot too,” she said.
Retired civil servant Rupert McCoy, 72, has been has also been receiving dialysis treatments for three years, and he too remains positive.
“There are times when it’s kind of rough. But then I got more good days than I have bad ones. Despite all of the inconveniences and discomforts and bad days, it beats the hell out of being dead,” he said. Mr. McCoy said he may have a possible overseas kidney donor secured, but the details are not finalized yet.
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