New Chilliwack-Hope MLA Gwen O'Mahony is using her time in Victoria to tackle a number of causes close to the heart of her supporters, including kidney dialysis.

The lack of a kidney dialysis unit in Chilliwack has been an important issue for Elaina Wugalter, whose husband has to travel to Abbotsford three times a week for treatment.

Wugalter formed a Facebook group-"We Want A Dialysis Unit in Chilliwack"-which now has 111 members, after treacherous winter weather in January led to advisories to stay off the road.

As the then-candidate for the NDP , O'Mahony immediately responded and forwarded the issue to party leader Adrian Dix and health critic Mike Farnworth.

On May 15, O'Mahony asked Minister of Health Mike de Jong about the issue and if he would "commit to exploring options for local dialysis in Chilliwack" in the Legislature.

"I was shocked to hear that members of my community and surrounding areas still had to make the journey to Abbotsford to receive life-dependent dialysis," she said.

De Jong said there were 13 patients receiving dialysis in Abbotsford who come from Chilliwack (a number he later put at 18) but that the threshold for when a unit is created is set by the B.C. Provincial Renal Agency, not the ministry.

"I will be strongly influenced by recommendations that flow from the B.C. Provincial Renal Agency," de Jong said. "If they determine that we have hit a threshold where establishing a permanent dialysis presence in Chilliwack is necessary, that will be strongly influential, I can assure the member. They have not provided that advice thus far."

O'Mahony then clarified that taking into account the surrounding areas, closer to 30 local patients have to travel to Abbotsford.

De Jong said the number was actually 24, and he added that the broader issue was not the "very, very infrequent weather event," but the limited transportation links between Abbotsford and Chilliwack.

This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

...