Interactive books bring comfort to children in need of kidney transplants

A child’s journey through a kidney transplant can be a daunting experience, and it can be a scary and uncertain time for them and their families. To help these young patients, we partnered with Kidney Research UK and Sheffield Kidney Patients Association (SAKA) to fund some very special books to guide them on their transplant journey and beyond.

Your donations have helped fund 50 ‘My New Kidney’ books for patients at Nottingham Children’s Hospital. These books will provide young people with valuable information and support to help guide them through their transplant journey.

For younger patients, the special books contain fun age-appropriate activities and guidance on what to expect leading up to and after their operation, in the hope of alleviating some of their anxiety. They will be encouraged to colour, comment, write questions, draw, and stick things in which is an important engagement tool to help families explore the transplant process together.

For older children and teenagers, we’ve helped to fund special passports which have been specifically designed for a more mature audience, called “The Official Nottingham Children’s Hospital Passport”.

The books have been designed specifically for patients treated here in Nottingham Children’s Hospital, and include a map of Nottingham to illustrate the a route home from their operation – both literally and emotionally.

“We wanted to offer support to families, at what can be a very stressful time,” explained Chris Beyga from Kidney Research UK. “The children will often have been through a great deal in their short lives. The team at Get Better Books has worked closely with the team at Nottingham Children’s Hospital to create this fantastic guide for children, siblings and their parents.”

Every child who is preparing for a transplant will receive their own copy of the book and a special bag that also includes felt tip pens and a golden envelope.

Non-profit publishers Get Better Books have previously worked with Great Ormond Street Hospital and Alder Hey Children’s Hospital in Liverpool to create bespoke patient materials for children facing a range of clinical conditions. Their designer and illustrator Georgina Potier said: “We started Get Better Books with the goal of creating beautiful, interactive books and communication design to help paediatric patients understand their treatment, alleviate anxiety and get better!”

Through these books, we hope to help children facing kidney transplants feel more comfortable throughout their time at Nottingham Children’s Hospital.

If you would like to donate to support projects like these, please click the green button below. You can also learn more about other projects that your donations have helped to fund by visiting our impact page.