First artificial kidney provides alternative to dialysis, transplant waiting lists
The Kidney Project’s first artificial kidney demonstrated functionality, promising to free kidney disease patients from dialysis machines and transplant waiting lists. This nationwide collaboration combined the essential hemofilter and bioreactor, successfully implanting the kidney device to be evaluated. The hemofilter removes waste products and toxins from the blood and the bioreactor replicates other kidney functions.
“The vision for the artificial kidney is to provide patients with complete mobility and better physiological outcomes than dialysis. It promises a much higher quality of life for millions worldwide with kidney failure,” said Shuvo Roy, a faculty member at the University of California San Francisco Schools of Pharmacy and Medicine.
Donated RVs help wildfire victims
The devastating California wildfires have left many people homeless and without resources for months. Woody Faircloth and his daughter Luna, from Denver, Colorado, are donating their time by delivering motorhomes to as many affected families as possible. Since their organization “EmergencyRV” began, they have brought 95 motorhomes to families in need. Though the trip delivering the motorhomes takes this father and daughter duo around 40 hours, they are grateful to be in a position to help others. One of the mobile home recipients was George Wolley, a first responder who lost his home in August. While fighting the fire, Wolley had no steady place to stay.
“Before I got that RV, I felt like I was a burden on everybody that helped me. I slept a lot in tents and in my car. It gave me a place to go,” Wolley said.
‘Chat checkout’ lines combat loneliness
Jumbo, a supermarket chain based in the Netherlands, is combatting loneliness by opening “Kletskassas” or “chat checkout” lines where people can go and have a conversation as part of their daily routine. Loneliness is a major issue in the Netherlands, as 1.3 million people in its population of more than 17 million are older than 75. Jumbo is optimistic about this initiative, and will open chat checkouts in 200 stores across the country within the next year.
“Our stores are an important meeting place for many people and we want to play a role in identifying and reducing loneliness. We do this in various ways, including our Kletskassas,” said Colette Cloosterman-van Eerd, CCO of Jumbo.
