LifeCycle presented the Renal Unit with a motorised movement therapy system, known as a MOTOmed letto, that can be used by patients while undergoing dialysis at St Luke's Hospital.
LifeCycle is a non-profit organisation founded in 1999 with the aim of creating awareness and generating support for patients suffering from end stage renal failure. Every year, a number of LifeCyclists pedal an average of 2,000 kilometres to collect funds for the Renal Unit.
Health Minister Louis Deguara thanked LifeCycle for its continuous support to renal patients. He said it was very symbolic of the organisation to provide the unit with a cycle to be used during treatment, which, in spite of improvements in medicine, remained monotonous.
The Travelex LifeCycle Challenge this year is Over And Above - Crossing The Arctic Circle. A total of 62 cyclists - 18 women and 44 men aged between 18 and 52 - will cycle over 2,000 kilometres in 10 days, starting from Oslo in Norway up to Rovaniemi in Finland, passing via Kiruna in Sweden.
Each cyclist and back-up team member has to collect at least Lm450 in sponsorship money in order to do the challenge. They also have to pay their airfare and visit renal patients.
As the challenge approaches, the training intensifies until participants cover distances of almost 200 kilometres on a Sunday.
The money collected in this year's challenge will be spent on four more kidney dialysis machines and patient couches.
The Renal Unit is one of the busiest at St Luke's, with over 180 patients aged between five and 70 using its services.
Without dialysis, these patients would die. About 100 have to visit the unit three times a week for treatment and spend four hours attached to a dialysis machine that purifies their blood from wastes and toxins normally cleared by the kidneys.
To date, donations by the LifeCycle Organisation included kidney machines, an ultrasound machine, a portable access ultrasound machine and 14 APD machines, which permit patients to perform peritoneal dialysis at home during the night.
Donations to LifeCycle can be made in the LifeCycle accounts at Bank of Valletta or HSBC or by SMS on 5061 7356 for a Lm1 donation, on 5061 8921 for a Lm3 donation or on 5061 9208 for a Lm5 donation. Donations can also be sent c/o Renal Unit, St Luke's Hospital, Guardamangia.
www.lifecyclechallenge.com