About Renal Radio

David Topham (Founder and Director) was born in Chelsea, London and was educated in Surrey, where he now lives with his family.

Since an early age David has had a keen interest in music and broadcasting and was one of the key founders of Epsom District Hospital Radio Station and later on worked on Radio Lollipop (Children's Hospital Radio) as a presenter.

In 1978 David joined St. Helier Hospital in Carshalton, Surrey and specialised in Medical Physics. He showed a great interest in dialysis and was a member of the technical team at the renal unit. He helped develop the unique UVXD (Ultraviolet disinfection unit for PD lines) box used by Baxter Travenol for peritoneal dialysis in its early stages of development. At this time there was a large number of home dialysis patients across London and the South East of England who dialysed independently away from the unit. It was his and the team's responsibility to ensure the smooth and safe running of this service and of the main dialysis unit.

In 1982 David organised the first ever London to Brighton kidney machine push along with his colleagues. The event was sponsored by a number of companies including Slazenger and Dunlop and The money raised provided enough funds to take the children who were dialyising at the Royal Free Hospital children’s unit on a much needed holiday to Disney World Florida.

Fund raising for kidney patients has been one of David's interests over the years and he has been actively involved in raising funds for a number of kidney patients associations. David left the NHS in 1982 to take up a position as Head of Medical Engineering for a large charity providing specialised medical equipment for third world countries. He later produced a report for the World Health Organisation on medical equipment maintenance in third world hospitals. After a brief period of working in Africa David joined Gambro UK as a Service Engineer, based in Sidcup in Kent.

In 1987 David joined Charing Cross Hospital in London. He was in charge of maintaining 150 home dialysis patients. This involved training and maintenance as well as installation of the equipment needed. He was later promoted to Chief Medical Technical Officer (MTO5). It was whilst he was at Charing Cross that David gained expertise in providing holiday dialysis for patients and support for their families and friends. Groups of patients along with their families and all dialysis equipment were flown out to Spain, Portugal and Greece for an annual two week holiday. Inevitably six machines plus two spares and all the disposables were flown free of charge by a major airline. Upon arrival, two hotel rooms with interconnecting doors would be utilised. David and the two nurses would set up all the equipment for the following day and commenced dialyses at around 6am. The REDY portable dialysis machine proved to be very successful throughout the years in providing transient dialysis.

David left Charing Cross in 1995 to establish two companies Healthtec and Dialysis Systems & Services Ltd (The Dialysis Travel Company) and Healthtec (a specialist equipment provider which continues to this day under new ownership)

Dialysis Systems & Services' main aim was to provide holiday dialysis in the UK. This was achieved by working in partnership with RANK organisation (later to be Bourne Leisure owners and operators of Butlins, Warners and Haven). The business plan and idea was liked so much that they gave David the opportunity to build centres at any of the UK resorts. In 1996 the first holiday dialysis centre on a Butlins holiday resort in Bognor Regis was opened. David and a very experienced renal nurse dialysed their first patient. Thereafter, centres were opened at Skegness in Lincolnshire, Minehead in Somerset on Butlins resorts and for adults only at Warner, Hayling Island in Hampshire. This enabled many patients over the years (approximately 4,500), their families and friends to holiday in a holistic environment with their loved ones. These centres also provided all year round dialysis facilities for the local community, relieving patients from a lot of extra stress in having to travel huge distances.

In order to see the company's services develop further, David sold Dialysis Systems & Services Ltd (The Dialysis Travel Company) to Renal Services Plc in February 2007. This enabled Renal Services to have a platform and track record here in the UK to embark on an expansion programme in providing renal services on a larger scale. David stayed with Renal Services as New Business Development Director for two years.

David left in March 2009 to pursue his interest in broadcasting and to fulfil his vision in providing a worldwide network for kidney patients, their families and friends, healthcare professionals and for people who have a general interest in this area. It is with his experience in mind and the observations that he has made over the years that has led him to launch the first ever Internet radio service that is entirely devoted to patients who would like to be entertained, informed and educated. Many patients spend hours connected to dialysis machines, whether in a centre or at home. Technology is enabling everybody to communicate far more easily nowadays whether using a computer, iphone, radio or television. The world is becoming smaller.

Renal Radio

“My wish is that in providing a service such as Renal Radio people will participate and involve themselves in this ever-expanding global community. Everybody has a story to tell. There are many unsung heroes in the dialysis world, patients as well as medical specialists who have made major contributions albeit in their private, personal or professional life. I hope to bring some of these stories to the forefront of this service. There are opportunities for everyone either by podcast, email, telephone or text. Renal Radio would like to hear from you. After all, this is your station and we at Renal Radio want you to enjoy it. Whatever your circumstances, we believe there is something of interest for everyone, perhaps a range of music genres, audio books, comedy, documentaries and interviews as well as advice and information.

I would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to everyone who has been involved in this concept enabling it to come to fruition”.

David L. Topham
(Founder and Director, Renal Radio 2009)
Bringing a global community together