Australia’s second Big Red Kidney Bus is in the planning thanks to a 
partnership between Kidney Health Australian and the Rotary Club of Croydon
⸀The Big Red Kidney Bush has become a lifeline to kidney patients around Australia, who are now able to take much needed holidays to beautiful destinations in Victoria where the mobile holiday dialysis unit is visiting.
Following the success of the first Bus, the Rotary Club of Croydon in Victoria has undertaken to raise $150,000 to get the second Big Red Kidney Bus on the road.
Kidney Health Australia CEO Anne Wilson said the first Big Red Kidney Bus had been successfully operating for almost a year and had been visiting holiday destinations in Victoria.
“With a second bus now in the planning we will consider expanding the reach of the Kidney Health Australia Big Red Kidney Bus to other states. We are immensely grateful to the Rotary Club of Croydon for its commitment to this excellent project and we look forward to working with the Club,” Ms Wilson said.
President of the Rotary Club of Croydon, Richard Gilham, said it was often not possible for kidney patients and their families to have holidays, because dialysis units in hospitals and clinics were often full.
“I am excited about the Big Red Kidney Bus Project and the involvement of the Rotary Club of Croydon. We will raise all the funds to fully refurbish the next Big Red Kidney Bus into a state of the art holiday dialysis unit.”
He said there is potential for other Rotary Clubs around Australia to become involved in getting more buses on the road.
“I am indebted to Helen Williams customer and friend of mine who is a dialysis patient. She told me about her holiday in Anglesea and how amazing the Big Red Kidney Bus was. She is the inspiration for our commitment,” Mr Gilham said.
Haemo-dialysis patient Helen Williams, from Castella in rural Victoris said she was privileged to have two week coastal holiday Anglesea, Victoria, earlier this year thanks to the presence of the Big Red Kidney Bus atthe popular beach side destination.
“I have never been able to do this in summer as a dialysis chair not available most of the public hospitals. As live in the bush we do not go to the beach very often and it was a joy to go on holiday in Anglesea and experience the magic of the Big Red Kidney Bus,” she said. Kidney Health Australia is a national health carec harity with a vision ‘to save and improve the lives of Australians affected by kidney disease’. As the national peak body, Kidney Health Australia promotes kidney health through delivery of programs in education, advocacy, research and support
