It was an honor to have Janie at our table Monday evening. The Carlisle-Williams Foundation was founded by Janie, a kidney transplant recipient, and Debbie, the transplant donor. As Janie navigated through the medical world of kidney disease, while also trying to finish her Master's program, she found few answers to her questions. Thus, the mission "is to help kidney failure patients on dialysis to live a better quality of life while on dialysis and provide them with the support they need to be approved for a life-saving, life changing transplant." Free services provided by C-W are non-medical support of items such as Hand sanitizer, dry skin lotion, pill containers, blankets, activity books, along with "information on diet, the disease, treatments and a quarterly newsletter that includes advances in treatments and other relevant information." Their biggest focus "this year is to roll out a mental wellness program specifically for Dialysis Patients. One of the most often cited unmet needs by dialysis patients is mental wellness support. We aim to help meet that need." There are two dialysis clinics in our area - one in Westerly and the other in Wakefield. They "need specialists in the field of mental wellness - mindfulness coaches, happiness psychologists, mental wellness counselors - and funding to delivery the program." For more information, go to http://www.esrd-patient-support.org or contact Janie at janie@esrd-patient-support.org. We are in awe of her strength, resilience and, spirit of "service above self".
