Kidney Wales Secures £2,700 Grant for Children’s Art Therapy Programmes  

Kidney Wales is thrilled to announce the receipt of a £2,700 grant from The Masonic and Military Order of the Red Cross of Constantine and the Orders of the Holy Sepulchre and of St. John the Evangelist on behalf of the Grand Sovereign’s Care for Children’s Fund.  This generous funding will enable us to continue our collaborative work with The Children’s Kidney Unit in Cardiff and the Tea Pot Trust, providing vital art therapy for children living with kidney disease.

Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) is a lifelong, life-threatening condition that significantly impacts the lives of affected children and their families. Treatment for CKD may involve regular medication, dialysis sessions, and potentially a kidney transplant. The nature of the condition often results in children missing substantial amounts of school and social activities due to clinical check-ups, treatment, and general ill health, which can severely affect their confidence and self-esteem.

The Children’s Kidney Unit at the University Hospital Wales currently supports over 500 families from South, West, and East Wales. In 2023, Kidney Wales funded two eight-week online art therapy courses to help children cope with their diagnosis and condition. Feedback from these courses indicated that children became more open and communicative with their families and healthcare professionals after participating.

With the support of this new grant, we will be able to run an additional three eight-week courses, reaching even more children. The Art Therapy courses, delivered by trained Art Therapists from The Tea Pot Trust, feature weekly sessions with different themes and planned art activities.

Ross Evans, Managing Director of Kidney Wales, expressed his gratitude:

“We are extremely grateful to the Grand Sovereign’s Care for Children’s Fund for their funding. This grant represents a significant step forward in supporting the emotional and psychological well-being of children living with kidney disease. 

Having witnessed the positive impact our pilot courses had on children and their families, it is brilliant that we can extend this to even more children who may be struggling with the effects of living with kidney disease”.

Right Illustrious Knight Nigel Lloyd Angell JP, the Intendent-General Division of South Wales and Monmouthshire of the Red Cross of Constantine also shared their thoughts:

“We are proud to be able to help deliver vital courses for children coming to terms with living with kidney disease. Supporting initiatives that provide emotional and psychological relief to these young patients when they need it most is very important”.