About us
The Association was developed out of a desire to help those less fortunate than ourselves. Since it's inception in 1970, we have worked hard to provide support where it's most needed.
Our membership has grown over the years from just 28 to almost 400. The & “District” covers a wide area including all of Devon (excluding Plymouth) and most of Somerset.
It is largely rural therefore transport issues are of particular importance to our members. We are able to help sort out transport problems as quickly as possible and have assisted in the roll out of the personal transport budget scheme – putting patients in charge rather than the NHS.
Jean Aplin our Secretary has supported the association since 1972, she has greatly helped to build up our reserves from fund raising activities and events. In addition, people have kindly left us legacies in their wills through fund raising websites - our current one is with JustGiving.
Committee members, past and present, have wisely invested these monies over the years. This means we have been able to assist patients experiencing hardship in our area who suffer from all forms of kidney disease, by spending both the capital and income from these investments.
The EDKPA have always been pleased to respond to requests from the RD&E renal unit, for funding support for various items which include: recliner chairs, exercise bikes, cushions, televisions and training aids.
Helping patients in need
We also use our funds to try and fill in the gaps missed by the NHS. This includes the purchase of TVs, TV remote controls, hospital equipment and the funding of a specialist nurse for children and young adults.
We write and distribute a quarterly newsletter informing patients of social functions, grants for members finding it difficult in making ends meet, subsidised trips, patients’ experiences/stories as well as new recipes and much more!
This year we are looking to increase our ability to make more financial grants for patients in need.
Our team relies exclusively on volunteer help. We are always looking for volunteers, a little help often goes a long way so if you have some free time available please do get in touch, we'd love to hear from you.
The committee is a mixture of patients, carers, and kidney staff who meet up six times a year.
George Palmer
Chairman
George was first diagnosed with end-stage renal failure at 43 years old after having no previous problems with his kidneys...
Prior to his diagnosis, George was a qualified solicitor and partner in a firm in Exeter.
Within a few months he was on dialysis - initially peritoneal and then haemodialysis. By 2015 he was receiving in-centre haemodialysis, six days per week and had retired from work.
Since then he has received a transplant and spends his time working with various charities. He is the chairman of the Exeter & District Kidney Patients' Association as well as secretary of the National Kidney Federation.
George's hobbies include trying to stay fit and healthy, playing bridge, reading and walking.
Chris Rolfe
Treasurer
Chris lives with his wife Jenny in Torquay and spends much of his time looking after their somewhat mountainous garden...
He enjoys walking, music, target shooting and model engineering but has limited time for these interests, spending five days a week on haemodialysis at home, five hours at a time.
Chris was first diagnosed suffering from Focal Segmental Glomerular Sclerosis at the age of 50. He was able to take early retirement from his job as an accountant and remained reasonably well until 2020 when he began dialysis.
Treasurer of the local kidney patients’ association, Chris is also a trustee with Kidney Research UK and a peer group supporter for home haemodialysis patients with the National Kidney Federation and our local hospital.
Jean Aplin
Secretary
My husband Peter was a patient way back in the very early days of dialysis when our unit was at Whipton hospital, Exeter...
I first became Treasurer of the Association and then Secretary. Peter is no longer with us he passed away 27 years ago and you may ask why I have continued as Secretary; well, it is because of the wonderful treatment and care we received from the unit.
He was able to see our two children grown up and our first granddaughter. The job has grown with me.
I myself have always been an active person, playing tennis, badminton and enjoying swimming, these days am more into gardening and relaxing doing sudoku and jigsaws.
Other Team Members:
Ria Taylor | Nick Wood | Danny O'Sullivan | Jackie Garry | Jake Johns | Joanne Robbins | Kate Cresswell | Keith Forbes | Sandie Hampshire
Get in touch
If you have any suggestions regarding what we could do that you feel would be beneficial for the members as a whole, please let us know.