Latest news with #NHSLothian
Edinburgh Live
4 days ago
- Health
- Edinburgh Live
Edinburgh nurse recognised for 'outstanding contributions' in King's Birthday Honours
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info A NHS Lothian nurse has been recognised for her outstanding contributions to epilepsy care in the King's Birthday Honours. Yvonne Leavy, 55, was overwhelmed when she realised that she would be included in the 2025 King's Birthday Honours list for the tireless work she has done over the course of her 37-year career. She said: "It was all so exciting and a bit overwhelming. I didn't even tell my family at first as I was unsure it would actually happen.' The mother-of-three started her career at the age of 18, qualifying to become a nurse in Dundee. She then moved down south to work in London and Oxford, gaining valuable experience and earning her MSc in Epileptology, before returning to Scotland to work as a Epilepsy Specialist Nurse at the former DCN at the Western General Hospital in 2003. Now she's an an integral part of the small and highly specialised team at NHS Lothian and credits her training at renowned epilepsy centres for jump starting her interest and passion in epilepsy. And she's even went on to collaborate with Edinburgh Napier University to develop an online training course for professionals working in epilepsy and contributed to the nursing chapter of The International League of Epilepsy, which supports nurses providing epilepsy care globally. Sign up for Edinburgh Live newsletters for more headlines straight to your inbox She continued: "This award acknowledges the importance of nursing and epilepsy specialist nursing in particular. People with epilepsy face significant challenges and yet they also show incredible dignity and resilience. It is an honour to be involved in helping them to live their lives to the fullest. "I hope the future brings improved funding for this common condition and I am ready to drive this forward alongside my incredible colleagues here in Edinburgh.' Yvonne is one of just 110 recipients in Scotland to be recognised with this prestigious accolade. She joins a list of 1,214 remarkable individuals to be celebrated with this award. Alison MacDonald, Executive Nurse Director, NHS Lothian, added: 'I am absolutely delighted to see Yvonne Leavy recognised in the King's Birthday Honours. 'This is a well-deserved acknowledgement of her outstanding contributions to epilepsy care. 'Yvonne's dedication, expertise and compassion have made a real and lasting difference to the lives of so many patients and families. We are incredibly proud to have her as part of the NHS Lothian team.
Scotsman
6 days ago
- Health
- Scotsman
I can now focus on my wedding and having children after my dad gave me a second chance by donating his kidney
A West Lothian man who was diagnosed with stage 5 kidney disease, has been given a second chance at life after his father stepped in to donate his kidney. Sign up to our daily newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Edinburgh News, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Kieran Innes from Livingston, first learned of the diagnosis after visiting hospital in July 2022 with impaired vision, high blood pressure and an intense headache. The disease had reduced the 27-year-old's kidney function to just 10 per cent and within a month, Kieran started dialysis three times a week at St John's Hospital. An appeal for a donor saw an incredible amount of people come forward to save Kieran from a future on dialysis, including some of his closest friends and extended family members. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad But it was Kieran's father Brian who emerged as the most compatible match and the pair underwent the lifesaving transplant operation at The Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh in March last year. Reflecting on their experience ahead of Father's Day, both Brian and Kieran are filled with gratitude and Kieran has made a full recovery, returned to work as a chef, and is now preparing for his wedding to fiancée Lara on July 5 in Uphall, West Lothian. Advising others facing a similar situation, Kieran said: 'Please don't lose hope. It can be incredibly difficult to keep positive, especially when you feel that everything is against you. I am testament to the fact that things truly do get better' | NHS Lothian Kieran said: 'Since the transplant, my life has changed completely and I'm doing really well. The operation not only kept me alive, but it has allowed me to live my life how I want to. I am now able to focus on the things I should at this stage in my life, and enjoy the things I love doing with the people I love the most. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'I am back to working full time and can focus on my future with my soon-to-be wife and having children. Those two years following my diagnosis and during dialysis really do feel like a bad dream. The difference between before the transplant and afterwards is like night and day. 'Thanks to my dad, I feel like I've been given a second chance. I can't thank him enough for the incredible gift he gave me, and I'll never be able to express how grateful I am to him.' Loving father, Brian Innes, said: "The donor matching process was relatively straightforward; I discovered my blood group was O positive therefore compatible for Kieran and as his father I was a 50 per cent tissue match. When it was confirmed that I could donate, the living donor transplant team were in touch regularly and were always available for information." Kieran said he can't thank his dad enough 'for the incredible gift he gave me'. The 27-year-old will marry his partner Lara in Uphall next month | NHS Lothian The 63-year-old from Prestonpans added: 'If anyone is thinking of coming forward as a donor, I would like to reassure them that personally, I have had no issues and am living life as normally as I was before the transplant. There are risks – like with any surgery – but seeing Kieran healthy and happy is the greatest reward any father could ask for, and the difference now to when he first went on dialysis is incredible. It really was a no-brainer for me to donate my kidney to my son.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad John Terrace, Consultant Transplant Surgeon at NHS Lothian said: 'This is a truly inspiring story of family and hope. We are thrilled to see such a positive outcome for Kieran, and we are incredibly grateful to Brian for his generosity and willingness to give his son the gift of life. Living donors really do change lives. 'Their journey is a testament to the transformative impact of living kidney donation. We wish Kieran and his family the very best.' Kieran added: 'The renal team within NHS Lothian were amazing, and I'd particularly like to pass on a big thank you to the brilliant staff involved in my dialysis at St John's Hospital, as well as the surgeons who undertook the operation at the RIE.' For more information about organ donation you can visit the NHS Lothian website.
Daily Record
7 days ago
- Health
- Daily Record
NHS Lothian nurse becomes first nurse in Scotland to be awarded prestigious Fellowship
The Fellowship, hosted by the School of Health and Wellbeing at the University of Glasgow, has typically been awarded to doctors, but NHS Lothian nurse and clinical academic Kath Williamson was one of four recipients chosen in the 2024 round. An NHS Lothian nurse has become the first nurse in Scotland to have been awarded a prestigious three-year Chief Scientist Office Early Postdoctoral Research Fellowship. The Fellowship, hosted by the School of Health and Wellbeing at the University of Glasgow, has typically been awarded to doctors, but NHS Lothian nurse and clinical academic Kath Williamson was one of four recipients chosen in the 2024 round, starting her Fellowship in February 2025. Prof Juliet MacArthur, Chief Nurse Research and Development for NHS Lothian, said: 'On behalf of my colleagues across NHS Lothian, I want to express how proud we are of Kath's remarkable achievement. "Securing a Chief Scientist Office Early Postdoctoral Fellowship is a significant milestone in any clinical academic's career, but to be the first nurse in Scotland to do so is truly ground-breaking. 'Kath's success is a testament to her dedication, expertise, and the value of supporting nurses to pursue research careers. The University of Glasgow's School of Health & Wellbeing provides an excellent environment for her work, with its strong focus on tackling health inequalities and improving care for underserved populations. "We look forward to seeing the impact of her research and clinical innovation in bariatric care, and the inspiration it will provide to other nurses across Scotland.' Kath's Fellowship programme of work includes the HOPE (Housebound Obesity Pathways and Engagement) study, looking at how housebound people with obesity access weight management interventions. The wider aim being grant applications for a trial of weight management for housebound people with obesity, with outcomes including improved function, quality of life, mental health and reduced service utilisation. Alongside research, the Fellowship enables Kath to develop new clinical practices in a first of its kind role as a Clinical Nurse Specialist for bariatric care in the community, one day per week. This unique role, hosted by Community Nursing in Midlothian HSCP, aims to support more effective cross-sector care, in a clinical area where the evidence base is poor but care needs are rising. Kath, has over 25 years of experience with NHS Lothian in a variety of different roles, including District Nurse, bank nurse, NRS Fellow and most recently, Manual Handling Advisor. Since 2016, Kath has been supported in developing her research career through the Nursing Midwifery and Allied Health Professional (NMAHP) Research Capacity Building Programme, led by Prof Juliet MacArthur and Andy Peters. She added: 'I hope that being the first nurse to be awarded a CSO Early Post-doctoral Fellowship will bring other opportunities to role model and promote the potential for nurses to be successful in pursuing clinical academic careers.'
Scotsman
13-06-2025
- Health
- Scotsman
Father gives son a ‘second chance' by donating kidney
Seeing son 'healthy and happy is the greatest reward any father could ask for' Sign up to our daily newsletter – Regular news stories and round-ups from around Scotland direct to your inbox Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... A groom-to-be has told how a kidney transplant from his father has given him a 'second chance' at life. Kieran Innes, from Livingston, West Lothian, spent almost two years on dialysis after being diagnosed with stage 5 kidney disease, describing it as being 'like a bad dream'. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad But after the transplant operation in March 2024 he has returned to work full-time as a chef and is looking forward to getting married next month. Brian Innes with son Kieran in hospital | NHS Lothian / SWNS Speaking about the donation in the run-up to Father's Day, the 27-year-old said: 'Thanks to my dad, I feel like I've been given a second chance. 'I can't thank him enough for the incredible gift he gave me, and I'll never be able to express how grateful I am to him.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Mr Innes had gone to St John's Hospital in Livingston in July 2022, suffering from impaired vision, high blood pressure and intense headaches. Diagnosed with stage 5 kidney disease, within a month he had started undergoing dialysis three times a week at the hospital. At the same time an appeal was made for a possible kidney donor for him, with close friends and family members all coming forward. Kieran Innes and his fiancee Lara | NHS Lothian / SWNS In the end his father Brian Innes, 63, from Prestonpans in East Lothian, was found to be the closest match. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Medics at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh carried out the life-saving transplant surgery in March last year, with Brian Innes recalling: 'The donor matching process was relatively straightforward. 'I discovered my blood group was O positive therefore compatible for Kieran and as his father I was a 50 per cent tissue match. 'When it was confirmed that I could donate, the living donor transplant team were in touch regularly and were always available for information.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad He added: 'If anyone is thinking of coming forward as a donor, I would like to reassure them that personally, I have had no issues and am living life as normally as I was before the transplant. 'A no-brainer for me to donate' 'There are risks – like with any surgery – but seeing Kieran healthy and happy is the greatest reward any father could ask for, and the difference now to when he first went on dialysis is incredible. 'It really was a no-brainer for me to donate my kidney to my son.' His son said: 'Since the transplant, my life has changed completely and I'm doing really well. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'The operation not only kept me alive but it has allowed me to live my life how I want to. I am now able to focus on the things I should at this stage in my life, and enjoy the things I love doing with the people I love the most. Brian Innes and son Kieran after the operation | NHS Lothian / SWNS 'I am back to working full-time and can focus on my future with my soon-to-be wife and having children. 'Those two years following my diagnosis and during dialysis really do feel like a bad dream. The difference between before the transplant and afterwards is like night and day.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad John Terrace, consultant transplant surgeon at NHS Lothian, said: 'This is a truly inspiring story of family and hope. 'We are thrilled to see such a positive outcome for Kieran, and we are incredibly grateful to Brian for his generosity and willingness to give his son the gift of life. Living donors really do change lives.
Daily Record
12-06-2025
- Health
- Daily Record
Scots dad donates kidney to give son 'second chance at life'
Brian Innes stepped up as son Kieran's vital organ was functioning at just ten per cent. A father has given his son a "second chance" at life after donating his kidney. Brian Innes, 63, was devastated when his son Kieran, 27, was diagnosed with Stage 5 kidney disease in 2022. Kieran, from Livingston visited, St John's Hospital's emergency department after experiencing impaired vision, high blood pressure, and an intense headache. Doctors found that Kieran's kidney function had been reduced to just 10% - and within a month, he had started thrice-weekly dialysis. At the same time, kidney transplant conversations started, and an appeal for a donor was made. An incredible amount of people came forward to save Kieran from a future on dialysis, including some of his closest friends and extended family members. Kieran's father Brian, based in East Lothian's Prestonpans, emerged as the most compatible match. The pair underwent the lifesaving transplant operation at The Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh (RIE). Brian, a news cameraman said: "The donor matching process was relatively straightforward- I discovered my blood group was O positive therefore compatible for Kieran and as his father I was a 50% tissue match. "When it was confirmed that I could donate, the living donor transplant team were in touch regularly and were always available for information." Since the transplant, Kieran has shown remarkable improvement, regaining energy and strength. Reflecting on their experience ahead of Father's Day, both Brian and Kieran are filled with gratitude. Kieran has made a full recovery, returned to work as a chef, and is preparing for his wedding to fiance Lara on 5 July 2025 in Uphall, West Lothian. He said: "Since the transplant, my life has changed completely and I'm doing really well. "The operation not only kept me alive, but it has allowed me to live my life how I want to. "I am now able to focus on the things I should at this stage in my life, and enjoy the things I love doing with the people I love the most. "I am back to working full time and can focus on my future with my soon-to-be wife and having children. "Those two years following my diagnosis and during dialysis really do feel like a bad dream. "The difference between before the transplant and afterwards is like night and day. "Thanks to my dad, I feel like I've been given a second chance. "I can't thank him enough for the incredible gift he gave me, and I'll never be able to express how grateful I am to him. "The renal team within NHS Lothian were amazing, and I'd particularly like to pass on a big thank you to the brilliant staff involved in my dialysis at St John's Hospital, as well as the surgeons who undertook the operation at the RIE." Brian added: "If anyone is thinking of coming forward as a donor, I would like to reassure them that personally, I have had no issues and am living life as normally as I was before the transplant. "There are risks - like with any surgery - but seeing Kieran healthy and happy is the greatest reward any father could ask for, and the difference now to when he first went on dialysis is incredible. "It really was a no-brainer for me to donate my kidney to my son." John Terrace, Consultant Transplant Surgeon at NHS Lothian said: "This is a truly inspiring story of family and hope. "We are thrilled to see such a positive outcome for Kieran, and we are incredibly grateful to Brian for his generosity and willingness to give his son the gift of life. "Living donors really do change lives. "Their journey is a testament to the transformative impact of living kidney donation. "We wish Kieran and his family the very best." For anyone in a similar situation, Kieran added: "Please don't lose hope. It can be incredibly difficult to keep positive, especially when you feel that everything is against you. "I am testament to the fact that things truly do get better."
