We are writing to hopefully make the people in this community aware about a fact concerning the new hospital. It will be GREAT to have a new hospital and we are all in favor it! However, it would be much greater if it would accommodate some of the individuals in our community with special needs. We are referring particularly to the Kidney Dialysis room that we have been fighting for. Some people think we do not need a dialysis room. We cannot understand why they think this is not necessary in our community when there are at least a dozen individuals in this area that would benefit from the local dialysis. This is not a luxury — it is a necessity for these folks to keep them alive, and treatment is required three times a week. Pipestone and Worthington each have a dialysis program as well as Sioux Falls, but why do our Luverne people have to drive miles to get treatment when everyone around in other towns can go to their hometown hospital? These patients need to arrange for someone to drive them to their dialysis treatments three times a week, every week. This is not something that can be postponed, so if it’s inclement weather they have to make arrangements to go early, or stay overnight. Dialysis patients should not be driving themselves after a treatment, however, due to the expense of hiring someone to take them, by necessity they choose to drive themselves. In the first place, these people are not feeling well — then they have to travel a distance, buy meals, buy gas, and in some cases pay whoever does the driving to transport them. Multiply that by three times a week, every week for as long as they are able, and you begin to realize the cost for these folks. We know of several folks from the area who have chosen not to live in Luverne because they would have to drive a distance for their dialysis treatment. Would this service not bring more people in to use our grand facility? And Luverne?We hope that our hospital board would consider offering this service that could accommodate so many of our community people, and we would hope that the new hospital will go out of their way to furnish this service for those who require these life-saving treatments. It seems like a given that the number of people using the dialysis would justify the cost of providing these services. The number of folks requiring dialysis seems to increase the longer we live. Now is the time to do it! Please reconsider and think of the folks that need these services. It would make life so much simpler for them, and their days of treatment so much more bearable if they don’t have to be on the road so long, and worry about the weather, cost, drivers, etc. Wouldn’t it be much more convenient for them to be able to go to our new hospital for these services? It would also be easier on family and much more cost effective.What do we, the people of the Luverne community need to do to convince the hospital board that a dialysis room is needed in Luverne? If you agree that this is a necessity in our new hospital, make your request known to the hospital administration or board member. Concerned citizens and friends for those who require dialysis.Signed on behalf of 90 signatures,Theresa and Vince Persing