Lifecycle offering free psychological support to renal patients

LifeCycle Malta Foundation and the Renal Unit have set up RUSH, the Renal Unit Support Health Hub, and are offering free psychological support to kidney patients.

This is also available to current patients receiving kidney transplants and current live donors.

LifeCycle will be distributing about 300 psychological vouchers for those patients wishing to seek psychological therapy. The voucher will entitle the patient to one free therapy session with their preferred psychologist from a total of five listed on this scheme by the Malta Chamber of Psychologists.

“From experiences we learnt, many renal patients are at a complete loss as to how to adapt their lives in a meaningful manner. Apart from the dedicated support they receive at the Renal Unit, they need to be mentally prepared for the life changes that they encounter at the different stages of the disease,” Alan Curry, LifeCycle founder, said.

The Renal Unit provides dialysis treatment for about 300 patients suffering from kidney failure. It also provides transplant co-ordination services and support to patients and their family members.  

“Patients with kidney disease undergoing regular dialysis face difficulties in maintaining their employment, financial flexibility, social life, as well as in their food and liquid intake. Adapting their lifestyle to dialysis treatment is hard, therefore psychology support is essential during their treatment,” said Paul Calleja, Charge Nurse at the Renal Unit.

For the past 20 years, LifeCycle has been raising money for life saving equipment in order to help persons suffering from kidney disease while advancing the awareness about organ transplants in Malta.