There is such a high incidence of diabetes and hypertension in Bermuda that there are now approximately 80 patients being treated at King Edward VII Memorial Hospital?s dialysis unit every week.

The medical conditions are often hereditary but a world-wide trend, that is being mirrored in Bermuda, toward eating more processed foods high in sugar and fat is also increasing the number of people suffering kidney disease. Islanders can take some comfort from the news that three specialists are among the team helping to run the dialysis unit. One of the trio is Bermudian Dr. Wendy Outerbridge, who is the director of the unit. She said: ?We are better at diagnosing patients earlier and offering them treatment before they reach end-stage renal failure.

?In the past, many people went without care and simply passed away from kidney disease. Better medical care for all Bermudians has resulted in more patients receiving the benefits of dialysis.?

Dr. Outerbridge was keen to be work with a static population and evolve a relationship with patients, one of the reasons she returned to the Island after specialising in internal medicine.

?Building relationships with patients and their families makes my job meaningful. I know when their spirits are down and how to offer a word of encouragement to cheer them up,? she said. ?Because dialysis patients are seen at the unit at least three times each week, 52 weeks every year, it is essential that patients work with a physician who remains in Bermuda.?

Bermudian physician Dr. Lynette Thomas oversees the surgical procedure to create access for haemodialysis. The Island is also visited monthly by Dr. Donna Mendes, the first African-American female vascular surgeon certified by the American Board of Surgery.