Former Dialysis patient pleas for Government assistance post-surgery

Thirty-three years old Richard Manpersaud who originates from the island of Leguan was diagnosed with kidney failure in 2016.

This condition led the young father of two to require dialysis treatment in order to sustain his life.

Mr Manpersaud told News Update that while going through treatment “it was a lot of mix feelings because you have a family and your feeling kind of less because you know you can’t provide for them, you feeling that you let them down and you feel like you become a burden to the entire family because you cause them to be depressed or stressed because everybody just worries about you.”

Richard Manpersaud speaking exclusively with News Update

The young man ran a mining business in the interior at the time he found out that he was diagnosed with kidney failure and said the money he made from that venture had to go towards paying for his dialysis session.

An emotional Richard said “in 2016 I found out about my kidney failure...at that time dialysis session was I think $15,000 per session and they advise me that you have to do three sessions per week to get you blood clean. It was kinda expensive and the whole situation was kinda depressing and stressful because I’m a young parent now trying to start up my own business so financially you got to say I went broke.”

Richard Manpersaud reflecting on some challenges in life

Despite the challenges, Richard was able to undergo a kidney transplant surgery in 2018.

However, while expecting his life to take a bright turn, the young father related “that after kidney transplant it’s kinda tough financially because you have bills, I’m living in Georgetown, I’m renting an apartment I have two children going to school.”

As a result of not being financially stable, Richard said he is unable to maintain a healthy diet.

He posited that it is important to maintain a healthy diet because “gaining weight is a disadvantage you could almost get back to hypertension and even diabetes.”

While praising the Government for providing assistance during his dialysis treatment and kidney transplant surgery, he has sounded a call for them to provide monthly public assistance to the less fortunate post-dialysis patients so that they can maintain a healthy lifestyle.

Richard said his biggest supporters during his journey was his family and church members.

He is encouraging persons to get checked annually to ensure their health is in a good place.