Toldo Foundation Supports Home Dialysis Unit at WRH
18-4-2022
The Regional Renal Program at Windsor Regional Hospital has been recognized by the Ontario Renal Network for providing quality care for area patients with kidney disease, made possible due to our incredibly hard-working staff and donors to the program.
One such notable donor is the Toldo Foundation.
Prior to his passing in 2009, Anthony P. Toldo Sr. made a significant donation to sponsor the in-patient Renal Program at the Ouellette Campus. Mr. Toldo, a well-known philanthropist recognized and appreciated the importance of kidney dialysis for so many community members.
When the new Renal Dialysis Program opened in April 2017 (in the Bell Building) offering a modern, state-of-the-art, comfortable, and spacious facility for both inpatient and outpatients going for dialysis, the Toldo sponsorship adapted to the change and moved the sponsorship to the Home Dialysis Unit.
Hemodialysis requires patients to visit the facility and sit in a chair multiple times a week, sometimes for three to four hours per visit.
The Home Dialysis Unit is an option for some patients who prefer to have the treatment done in the privacy and comfort of their own homes. It offers independence, more time with family, and more freedom for the patient. A hemodialysis machine is installed in the patient’s home and the patient is trained to do dialysis safely and to handle any minor problems that may arise. In some cases, dialysis can be done while the patient is asleep (called Home nocturnal hemodialysis).
“Support in the form of sponsorship is critically important for our program, in particular the Home Dialysis Unit,” says President and CEO David Musyj.
“This portion of the program provides patients and their families an opportunity to visit the centre and receive their initial assessment to determine whether they are a viable candidate. If they meet the criteria, they are then trained and educated in the Home Dialysis Unit.”
Currently, there are 91 local active patients using the home modality.
“We are so grateful to Anthony Toldo Jr. for carrying on his father’s legacy and the Toldo Foundation for understanding the importance of this program and how it improves the quality of life for these patients,” says Windsor Regional Hospital Foundation Board President Beth Ann Prince.
“According to the Ontario Renal Network, people feel their symptoms are better managed because the home dialysis is done more often or for a longer time than treatment in hospital. As a result, patients who can have home dialysis require the proper training and resources provided in this unit.”
A plaque has been placed at the entrance to the Home Dialysis Unit to thank Mr. Anthony Peter Toldo for his generosity.