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SA Health Minister Jack Snelling said scrapping the Living Donors program would be “a disgraceâ€. Picture: Stephen Laffer
LEIGH Stevenson was just 13 years old when he lost the use of a kidney and was told he would need a transplant.
After 39 years, Mr Stevenson is now just a few weeks away from receiving a kidney from his wife, Helen, who has taken leave from her job under a Federal Government donor scheme.
But future funding for the Leave for Living Donors program will be reviewed in the Federal Budget — and any cuts could deter people from donating a kidney, according to Mrs Stevenson.
Employers are reimbursed for an amount up to the national minimum wage for up to nine weeks of leave taken by the donor.
“It’s the minimum wage — it’s not a lot,’’ Mrs Stevenson, 52, said.
“There are a lot of thorough tests and appointments beforehand to see if you are an eligible donor.
“I’d be using all of my leave and I probably don’t have enough leave. It would add to the stress, which is not good going into that sort of operation. It takes that financial pressure off.
Helen Stevenson is donating a kidney to her husband Leigh. Picture: Mark BrakeSource:News Corp Australia
“It would stop people being a donor. People would have to think twice about it.’’
Two years ago, the Mt Gambier couple moved to a caravan in Adelaide for possible dialysis as Mr Stevenson’s creatine levels rose indicating kidney failure.
But fortunately the levels dropped and he did not need dialysis, which can cost up to $100,000 a year for each dialysis patient.
A spokesman for federal Health Minister Greg Hunt said any future funding of the living donor leave will be a matter for the next Budget.
But SA Health Minister Jack Snelling said scrapping the program would be unacceptable.
“If this is true, it’s a disgrace. Any cut to a program that saves lives, just to save some money, is not acceptable,†Mr Snelling said.
But that uncertainty is a concern to Australian and New Zealand Transplantation Society president-elect Professor Toby Coates, who said funding cuts could affect dialysis services.
“The TSANZ are concerned that the minimum wage funding for donors will be withdrawn and that this will be another disincentive for working people on low incomes to consider being living kidney donors,’’ he said.
SA Health Minister Jack Snelling said scrapping the Living Donors program would be “a disgraceâ€. Picture: Stephen LafferSource:News Corp Australia
“Often living kidney donors are within the same family (husband to wife or wife to husband) and so both wage earners may potentially be unable to work after the donor operation.
“Having the minimum wage living donor incentive ensures that these generous donors have some income during the operative recovery period.’’
According to Prof Coates, 40 per cent of living donors had already taken advantage of the scheme.
He said scrapping the program could lead to a reduction in living donor activity.
“Dialysis services in Australia are already overstretched and so this would have further impact on dialysis,’’ he said.
“We seek assurances that the living donor incentive scheme will remain in its current form with respect to entitlements.’’
Originally published as Kidney donation program put under review cloud