Lostprophets frontman Ian Watkins on why he’ll be venturing out on New Year’s Eve - WalesOnline click for full story
“I hate going out on New Year’s Eve,” says Watkins. “It’s always such a hassle, stupid prices to get in anywhere, drink prices through the roof, queuing.
“The reason I wanted to do a show on New Year’s Eve was to give like-minded people an alternative to going to a club packed full of clowns. I thought it would be cool to be able to go somewhere that wasn’t expensive and where you could be surrounded by all your friends, good music and good vibes because usually I just stay in with my mam and watch TV.”
In fact, Watkins’ mam Elaine is the real reason why this charity gig, which takes place at Cardiff University on Wednesday night, is raising money and awareness for Kidney Wales Foundation.
She had a kidney transplant in 2007, which prompted her son to become a Kidney Wales ambassador, fronting a campaign to boost donor numbers among young people.
Monday 29 December 2008
Businessman Tim donates a kidney to save a complete stranger | Mail Online
Businessman Tim donates a kidney to save a complete stranger | Mail Online
Businessman Tim donates a kidney to save a complete stranger
By Mail On Sunday Reporter
Last updated at 11:34 PM on 27th December 2008
A businessman has saved the life of a stranger by giving her one of his kidneys.
Tim Rowles, 46, from Leiston, Suffolk, heard of 43-year-old Wendy Adams’s desperate need for a transplant as her one kidney was failing – and realised they shared the same rare O-negative blood group.
Tests revealed that he had the right tissue match to be a donor for the clothing designer, who grew up in nearby Martlesham, before emigrating to Holland.
Businessman Tim donates a kidney to save a complete stranger
By Mail On Sunday Reporter
Last updated at 11:34 PM on 27th December 2008
A businessman has saved the life of a stranger by giving her one of his kidneys.
Tim Rowles, 46, from Leiston, Suffolk, heard of 43-year-old Wendy Adams’s desperate need for a transplant as her one kidney was failing – and realised they shared the same rare O-negative blood group.
Tests revealed that he had the right tissue match to be a donor for the clothing designer, who grew up in nearby Martlesham, before emigrating to Holland.
Thursday 25 December 2008
The small matter of a kidney donation - Times Online
Cassandra: the small matter of a kidney donation - Times Online click for full article in The Times
I’ve been reading a lot lately about kidney problems. Every other week it seems there’s a story about someone with kidney disease. Anthony Kiedis from the Red Hot Chili Peppers had some trouble but now it seems he’s OK. There was also a story about two best friends – one who needed a kidney, the other who donated. That’s got to put a strain on a friendship.
I’ve been reading a lot lately about kidney problems. Every other week it seems there’s a story about someone with kidney disease. Anthony Kiedis from the Red Hot Chili Peppers had some trouble but now it seems he’s OK. There was also a story about two best friends – one who needed a kidney, the other who donated. That’s got to put a strain on a friendship.
Wednesday 24 December 2008
Calendar boys bring new hope
Calendar boys bring new hope
AMMANFORD husband Chris Dark won’t have to worry about finding wife Melanie the perfect Christmas present this year — he’s already given her the gift of life.
Thanks to pioneering technology, the fit-as-a-fiddle 46-year-old was able to donate one of his kidneys to his seriously ill wife.
Chris runs the Ammanford and District Kidney Wales Committee with Melanie, also 46, who was diagnosed with kidney failure when she was just 17.
A successful kidney transplant in her 20s gave her a new life, but when it began to fail after 13 years she was placed back on the waiting list for more than a decade.
AMMANFORD husband Chris Dark won’t have to worry about finding wife Melanie the perfect Christmas present this year — he’s already given her the gift of life.
Thanks to pioneering technology, the fit-as-a-fiddle 46-year-old was able to donate one of his kidneys to his seriously ill wife.
Chris runs the Ammanford and District Kidney Wales Committee with Melanie, also 46, who was diagnosed with kidney failure when she was just 17.
A successful kidney transplant in her 20s gave her a new life, but when it began to fail after 13 years she was placed back on the waiting list for more than a decade.
Sunday 21 December 2008
Watkins is a Prophet for charity - WalesOnline
Watkins is a Prophet for charity - WalesOnline
Ian Watkins headlines Kidney Wales Foundation’s New Year’s Eve Charity show at Cardiff University on January 31. Tickets cost £20 from 0871 2200 260.
But 2009 will be another big year for Lostprophets as they prepare to release their fourth album, It’s Not The End Of The World But I Can See It From Here, with the first new material expected in the spring.
“There won’t be any new material in the NYE gig because the full band won’t be there with me,” he says.
Having planned to release a new CD in 2007 the band scrapped virtually their entire slate of songs because they were not satisfied with the quality the Los Angeles recording sessions had produced.
“We just weren’t happy where the producer was taking it, and there came a point where we had to step back and say, ‘OK this doesn’t feel right’,” says Watkins, who says he was never worried the band had hit a fallow point creatively.
“That’s something we have never worried about,” he says, “and so far, thankfully we have remained prolific. We don’t stop writing songs.”
Part of that writing team was the band’s former drummer Ilan Rubin. The American replaced original drummer Mike Chiplin in 2005 and while the band were disappointed to lose Rubin to Trent Reznor’s band Nine Inch Nails, Watkins said it wasn’t a surprise.
“He was an amazing drummer, but he was also always more focused on doing his own thing, so it wasn’t much of a surprise,” he says.
“He’s a career and goal-orientated guy – he sees what he wants and he goes for it – but Trent’s gonna be bummed when Paul McCartney calls.”
Ian Watkins headlines Kidney Wales Foundation’s New Year’s Eve Charity show at Cardiff University on January 31. Tickets cost £20 from 0871 2200 260.
Ian Watkins headlines Kidney Wales Foundation’s New Year’s Eve Charity show at Cardiff University on January 31. Tickets cost £20 from 0871 2200 260.
But 2009 will be another big year for Lostprophets as they prepare to release their fourth album, It’s Not The End Of The World But I Can See It From Here, with the first new material expected in the spring.
“There won’t be any new material in the NYE gig because the full band won’t be there with me,” he says.
Having planned to release a new CD in 2007 the band scrapped virtually their entire slate of songs because they were not satisfied with the quality the Los Angeles recording sessions had produced.
“We just weren’t happy where the producer was taking it, and there came a point where we had to step back and say, ‘OK this doesn’t feel right’,” says Watkins, who says he was never worried the band had hit a fallow point creatively.
“That’s something we have never worried about,” he says, “and so far, thankfully we have remained prolific. We don’t stop writing songs.”
Part of that writing team was the band’s former drummer Ilan Rubin. The American replaced original drummer Mike Chiplin in 2005 and while the band were disappointed to lose Rubin to Trent Reznor’s band Nine Inch Nails, Watkins said it wasn’t a surprise.
“He was an amazing drummer, but he was also always more focused on doing his own thing, so it wasn’t much of a surprise,” he says.
“He’s a career and goal-orientated guy – he sees what he wants and he goes for it – but Trent’s gonna be bummed when Paul McCartney calls.”
Ian Watkins headlines Kidney Wales Foundation’s New Year’s Eve Charity show at Cardiff University on January 31. Tickets cost £20 from 0871 2200 260.
Friday 19 December 2008
Kidney op man is on the crest of a wave - WalesOnline
Kidney op man is on the crest of a wave - WalesOnline
FOR the first time in nearly five years Mark Schofield is looking forward to a normal Christmas with his family and friends, able to eat what he wants and have a festive tipple with his neighbours.
And the cause for his celebration is that after a long wait Mark has received a kidney transplant, an operation that released him from the shackles of his daily dialysis routine.
The father of two and former UK surfing champion said one of the highlights of his recovery in the past 10 months was the first time he got back on his surfboard, with his 17-year-old son George next to him on the waves during a family holiday in Ireland.
Mark, 45, had been on dialysis every day for three hours since December 19, 2003, when his first kidney transplant, resulting from a donation by his mum Jean, failed after 13 years. Forced back on to dialysis, Mark waited for a new opportunity and a second chance with another transplant but as the years rolled by he feared that might never happen.
“I was giving myself dialysis at home and that affected the whole family, three hours every day, which means 730 injections a year, to clean my blood. Looking back, I started to go downhill.”
Mark became so desperate he embarked on a “transplant tourism” trip to the Philippines last year to try to buy a kidney from a live donor but the trip failed when no match was found.
He now has nothing but praise for the NHS, which came up with a kidney transplant match for him in February this year.
FOR the first time in nearly five years Mark Schofield is looking forward to a normal Christmas with his family and friends, able to eat what he wants and have a festive tipple with his neighbours.
And the cause for his celebration is that after a long wait Mark has received a kidney transplant, an operation that released him from the shackles of his daily dialysis routine.
The father of two and former UK surfing champion said one of the highlights of his recovery in the past 10 months was the first time he got back on his surfboard, with his 17-year-old son George next to him on the waves during a family holiday in Ireland.
Mark, 45, had been on dialysis every day for three hours since December 19, 2003, when his first kidney transplant, resulting from a donation by his mum Jean, failed after 13 years. Forced back on to dialysis, Mark waited for a new opportunity and a second chance with another transplant but as the years rolled by he feared that might never happen.
“I was giving myself dialysis at home and that affected the whole family, three hours every day, which means 730 injections a year, to clean my blood. Looking back, I started to go downhill.”
Mark became so desperate he embarked on a “transplant tourism” trip to the Philippines last year to try to buy a kidney from a live donor but the trip failed when no match was found.
He now has nothing but praise for the NHS, which came up with a kidney transplant match for him in February this year.
Tuesday 16 December 2008
Gold Olympian Nicole Cooke and Only Men Aloud ! Tim Rhys Evans join Kidney Wales
Nicole Cooke joins Kidney Wales Foundation
Dec 16 2008 by Gerry Holt, South Wales Echo
OLYMPIC and world women’s cycling champion Nicole Cooke has been appointed a Kidney Wales Foundation patron.
And Tim Rhys-Evans, the founder of winning male voice choir Only Men Aloud!, will also take up the same role with the Cardiff-based charity.
The pair join Kidney Wales’ longstanding patrons Katherine Jenkins, Max Boyce and Gerald Davies.
Cooke said: “I’m delighted to be one of Kidney Wales’ newest patrons. Over the years I have had a close association with the charity so it is a great honor to accept this new role.
“I know first-hand how important the charity’s work is and how invaluable the partnerships it creates are too.
“I’m looking forward to becoming more closely involved with Kidney Wales in 2009.”
And Rhys-Evans, who formed Only Men Aloud! eight years ago, said: “I’m very proud to be a new patron of the Kidney Wales Foundation. Only Men Aloud! performed at the charity’s annual Reflections carol concert recently and it was wonderful to see so many people come along to show their support for Kidney Wales.”
Raj Aggarwal, chairman of the Kidney Wales Foundation’s trustees, said: “Nicole and Tim have done so much already for Kidney Wales so we are delighted to welcome them as our newest patrons to our growing list of celebrity supporters.
“Both have big plans in their new roles and we look forward to working with them in 2009 to the benefit of kidney patients and their families in Wales.”
Dec 16 2008 by Gerry Holt, South Wales Echo
OLYMPIC and world women’s cycling champion Nicole Cooke has been appointed a Kidney Wales Foundation patron.
And Tim Rhys-Evans, the founder of winning male voice choir Only Men Aloud!, will also take up the same role with the Cardiff-based charity.
The pair join Kidney Wales’ longstanding patrons Katherine Jenkins, Max Boyce and Gerald Davies.
Cooke said: “I’m delighted to be one of Kidney Wales’ newest patrons. Over the years I have had a close association with the charity so it is a great honor to accept this new role.
“I know first-hand how important the charity’s work is and how invaluable the partnerships it creates are too.
“I’m looking forward to becoming more closely involved with Kidney Wales in 2009.”
And Rhys-Evans, who formed Only Men Aloud! eight years ago, said: “I’m very proud to be a new patron of the Kidney Wales Foundation. Only Men Aloud! performed at the charity’s annual Reflections carol concert recently and it was wonderful to see so many people come along to show their support for Kidney Wales.”
Raj Aggarwal, chairman of the Kidney Wales Foundation’s trustees, said: “Nicole and Tim have done so much already for Kidney Wales so we are delighted to welcome them as our newest patrons to our growing list of celebrity supporters.
“Both have big plans in their new roles and we look forward to working with them in 2009 to the benefit of kidney patients and their families in Wales.”
Sunday 7 December 2008
What the NHS can learn from organ donors
FT.com / weekend columnists / Margaret McCartney - What the NHS can learn from organ donors
click for full article
What the NHS can learn from organ donors
By Margaret McCartney
Published: December 6 2008 00:27 | Last updated: December 6 2008 00:27
As an unschooled observer of the money markets, I have been struggling in recent months to understand what anything is actually worth. In healthcare, there is a similar problem, though it makes for rather less exciting headlines. All NHS procedures have to be costed to the last penny, and reported on in “completed care episodes”. But just like financiers, healthcare professionals can’t put an exact price on everything.
Blood, for example, is a commodity given free of charge by people willing to sacrifice time and comfort in order to make a significant difference to someone else. Bone marrow is another “gift”, donated by those who know they will not be repaid financially for being inconvenienced. And then there are the gifts given in the aftermath of death: corneas, kidneys, livers, skin, hearts… all capable of transforming a stranger’s life.
click for full article
What the NHS can learn from organ donors
By Margaret McCartney
Published: December 6 2008 00:27 | Last updated: December 6 2008 00:27
As an unschooled observer of the money markets, I have been struggling in recent months to understand what anything is actually worth. In healthcare, there is a similar problem, though it makes for rather less exciting headlines. All NHS procedures have to be costed to the last penny, and reported on in “completed care episodes”. But just like financiers, healthcare professionals can’t put an exact price on everything.
Blood, for example, is a commodity given free of charge by people willing to sacrifice time and comfort in order to make a significant difference to someone else. Bone marrow is another “gift”, donated by those who know they will not be repaid financially for being inconvenienced. And then there are the gifts given in the aftermath of death: corneas, kidneys, livers, skin, hearts… all capable of transforming a stranger’s life.
ALOUD REFLECTIONS AT ST JOHN'S CARDIFF 9 DECEMBER 2008
A service of relections will take place on 9 of December at St John the Baptist Church Cardiff with festive readings from Catrin Finch, Rhun ap Iorweth, Alex Jones and many more.
The BBC Last Choir Standing winners Only Men Aloud! will provide a festive mood joined by Cor Aelwyd CF1 and children from Ysgol Berllan Deg.
Chair of the Donate Wales campaign Roy J Thomas said " This is an opportunity to thank everyone for an excellent year. The Donate Wales Campaign has proved a great success and the Kidney Wales Foundation is blessed with great support.We will mark the year as we always do with spiritual gratitude."
Mr Thomas added "The evening has been organised by Rhian Williams who has selflessly given a great deal of time and thought to the Service.We are all looking forward to it."
The event was a sell out and demand for tickets exceeded supply within a week.
The BBC Last Choir Standing winners Only Men Aloud! will provide a festive mood joined by Cor Aelwyd CF1 and children from Ysgol Berllan Deg.
Chair of the Donate Wales campaign Roy J Thomas said " This is an opportunity to thank everyone for an excellent year. The Donate Wales Campaign has proved a great success and the Kidney Wales Foundation is blessed with great support.We will mark the year as we always do with spiritual gratitude."
Mr Thomas added "The evening has been organised by Rhian Williams who has selflessly given a great deal of time and thought to the Service.We are all looking forward to it."
The event was a sell out and demand for tickets exceeded supply within a week.
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