Our story
Western Desert Nganampa Walytja Palyantjaku Tjutaku –
Making all our Families Well
At Purple House, we believe everyone deserves to stay connected to their family, culture and Country, even while receiving dialysis treatment. For over 20 years, we’ve been helping people with kidney disease get back home to remote communities across the Northern Territory, Western Australia and South Australia.
We started small – with one dialysis machine and a small purple-painted house in Mparntwe (Alice Springs). Now we get 200-300 patients home on dialysis annually thanks to our 20 remote dialysis clinics across the NT, WA and SA and our mobile dialysis unit the Purple Truck.
More than dialysis
Our care goes beyond dialysis. We offer culturally safe services including Aged Care, Primary Health Care, Social Support, wellbeing programs, healthy meals and bush medicine. Everything we do focuses on people, Country, culture, and compassion – making Purple House an award-winning model of care.
Before we began, Central Australians on dialysis had the worst outcomes in the country. Today, they have the best.
Community led and proud
This is an organisation founded by community for community. Purple House is entirely Indigenous-led with an all-Indigenous Board of Directors who are elected by our members. We are supported through an innovative mix of philanthropic, self-generated funds and government support.
Our History
A dream born in the desert
In the 1990s, Pintupi people from the Western Desert faced an impossible choice: leave their homes for dialysis treatment in Alice Springs or stay on Country without care.
For those that did move, it meant they were far from family, culture, and Country and they endured great hardships, loneliness and poor health outcomes. Back home, it meant Elders weren’t around to fulfill their cultural obligations, pass on important knowledge, provide leadership and take care of Country.
Determined to change this, community leaders took action. In 2000, the Western Desert Dialysis Appeal raised over $1 million through an art auction featuring stunning works by Pintupi artists. With these funds, Purple House was born.
“Everyone came from Kintore and they were living in Alice Springs on renal and I was a bit worried…thinking about all the old people…missed desert Country and community… worried about children and wanted to go home.
We were trying to make a better plan. Instead of living in town we said no they want to go back and live in their own community which is good thing for them so they can visit their Country and stay with family. Old people worried about their kids and wanted to stay and finish up on Country.
So, we can raise some money. Everyone came together to help support Kintore and Kiwirrkurra. We showed non-Aboriginal people this is what we are doing for our people. It was a great thing.”
Bobby West Tjupurrula, Director
Our first dialysis unit
In 2004, the dream became a reality when we brought family members home to Kintore for dialysis. From there, requests poured in from other communities. Over the years, we’ve expanded to operate 20 remote dialysis units and a mobile Purple Truck, ensuring no one has to choose between their health and their home.
The journey continues
Today, Purple House continues to innovate and grow, ensuring people stay strong on Country while fulfilling cultural obligations, caring for family, and keeping traditions alive.
Want to help support our journey and be part of our next chapter?