The First Patient Home
21 years ago, in September 2004, Amy Nampitjinpa boarded a plane in Alice Springs bound for Walungurru (Kintore).
Flying in over the two sacred mountains and landing at the airstrip, Amy was greeted by all the school kids, very excited about her arrival. With our present-day chairperson, Marlene Spencer, at her side, Amy stepped down off the plane and felt her Country beneath her feet for the first time since being diagnosed with end-stage renal failure.
After 4 years of fighting, planning and being told it was going to be impossible, Amy Nampitjinpa received the first dialysis treatment in Walungurru.
2025 Walungurru Community Celebrations
Earlier this month, the 21st Anniversary of dialysis on Country was celebrated in style with a great big party in Walungurru!
In collaboration with 40 years of Pintupi Homelands Health Service and 20 years of Red Dust being in Walungurru, there were Bush Bands, BBQs, Haircuts, Picnics, Bush Medicine picking, Softball/AFL games, dancing and old photos and videos shown on the big screen remembering important people and their stories. The celebrations were officially opened on the Monday with speeches, media and special dancing.
Thanks to Rotary, we had limited edition T-shirts for everyone celebrating the Kiwirrkurra Men’s and Kintore Women’s Collaborative Paintings.
On the Thursday, we held a Director’s Meeting with our Pintupi bosses who were all very inspired and energised after the celebrations.
Chairperson Marlene Spencer and CEO Sarah Brown acknowledged the strength and generosity of Pintupi people who have grown their dream of getting dialysis in Walungurru to now support another 19 communities across Australia set up their own dialysis clinics (with 7 more coming in the next few years).
Lots of fun was had, and there was a special sense of Pintupi pride in the air. We would like to thank Pintupi Homelands Health Service and Red Dust for organising such a great week!
Have a scroll through the images below and watch our video:
