Young kidney patients get long-awaited Christmas day out

Young kidney patients and their families have enjoyed a long-awaited Christmas treat thanks to Swansea-based kidney charity, Popham Kidney Support, and a donation of £1,000 made by the charity’s corporate sponsor, Swansea Building Society. 

The donation was originally made in 2021 to the kidney charity’s Christmas Day Out Appeal, which offers young people cared for at the Children’s Kidney Centre and their families the opportunity to enjoy a festive day out together.  

Last year’s event was planned to be a trip to see Beauty and The Beast in the Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff. Unfortunately, due to the emergence of new variants of coronavirus and several Covid-enforced absences in the cast and crew, Wales Millennium Centre took the decision to cancel all performances around the Christmas and new year period.  

The charity decided to roll over the funds to this year’s event, allowing over 100 children who are either living with, or are affected by kidney disease and their families to attend a screening of Roald Dahl’s Matilda the Musical – a brand-new version of the children’s literary favourite – at the Odeon, Cardiff, on Saturday December 3. 

Popham Kidney Support’s annual Christmas Day Out event aims to lift spirits and encourage social interaction with others going through similar experiences of kidney disease. The charity’s hope is that the event helps the children to feel reassured that they’re not alone, whilst building their self-esteem and confidence.  

Jo Popham, CEO at Popham Kidney Support, said:  “We’re overjoyed to have been able to organise this year’s Christmas Day Out after such a long wait, and to make such wonderful use of the extremely generous donation of £1,000 given by our friends and corporate sponsors at Swansea Building Society. 

“During the COVID-19 pandemic, our community of paediatric kidney patients was classified as extremely vulnerable and had to spend lengthy periods of time shielding – on top of an already disabling illness. This, undoubtedly, added to a feeling of loneliness and anxiety for many of them, and it was devastating for us at the charity when last year’s event was cancelled.  

“So, after a year-long wait, our Christmas Day Out to attend Matilda the Musical gave the young kidney patients and their families the opportunity to make friends, talk with people going through similar experiences and most of all have some much-needed fun! We’re very grateful to Swansea Building Society for enabling this to happen.” 

Alun Williams, Chief Executive at Swansea Building Society, added: “At Swansea Building Society, it’s wonderful to be in a position to help local communities and charities whenever we can. Popham Kidney Support’s work makes a huge difference to those living with kidney disease and their families, and so we were delighted to become a corporate sponsor of the charity, and with our donation make this year’s Christmas Day Out event a reality. We wish everyone involved with the charity – staff, patients and volunteers – a very merry Christmas and a happy new year.”