A group of dialysis patients are continuing their mischievous mission to ‘bring joy’ to the nurses that look after them.
The self-named ‘Fistula Boys’ all have dialysis treatment at Dorset County Hospital in Dorchester three times a week and enjoy brightening everyone’s days whilst they are there.
Their ‘whole aim is to bring joy and cheerfulness to the ward’ whilst they are ‘plugged into the dialysis machines for four hours at a time.’
They came up with the name ‘Fistula Boys’ as an AV fistula is a connection that's made between an artery and a vein for dialysis access and is created via a surgical procedure – and this is something that connects them.
The group is made up of Reg Foy, 84 from Wool, and his friends that he made at the unit, Dave Hunt, 85 from Winfrith, and Steve Clarke, 59 from Weymouth.
As part of their Easter shenanigans, the group came up with a brilliant way to put a smile on everyone’s faces.
Reg said: “We bounced into the ward with Bunny Hop playing on a phone and hopped around as well as we could, especially as one of us is on a walking frame and we brought in a big box of goodies which we took to the nurses - We also gave each patient a box of Easter goodies.”
He explained that having to undergo dialysis is ‘a life sentence,’ adding, ‘we are there Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday and it’s your whole day gone, so we start chatting and coming up with ideas -we are lucky to be in the situation we are, explaining that a lot of people are much worse off.’
The group was formed around two years ago when Reg was informed that his kidneys were failing.
He said: “I was told that I am going to be on dialysis for the rest of my life. I’m too old for a transplant. But what do you do with that information, you make the most of it.
“We are three people from completely different backgrounds can come together and have fun – We are so lucky.”
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Now, the Fistula Boys make it their mission to ‘get the nurses laughing, for everything they do for them and everyone else every single day.’
A ‘Big Fistula Boys Festival’ has also been planned for June which will be a big BBQ in Reg’s back garden with a saxophone player and a magician.
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