and how we can help you
The Northern Ireland Kidney Patients Association
Northern Ireland Kidney Patients’ Association (NIKPA) provides Support and a Voice for anyone impacted by Kidney issues’ and Promotes organ donation.
How we work?
NIKPA is run by dialysis patients and kidney transplanted patients, their families and friends and is entirely voluntary with all funds raised staying in Northern Ireland to benefit the Renal Patients of Northern Ireland.
Our Committee
We very much welcome any new additions to our Committee which provides an opportunity to support fellow dialysis and transplant patients and their families. We currently meet virtually once a month to discuss Charity related matters.
Our Members
We currently have over 500 members from around the 7 dialysis units of Northern Ireland. Membership include dialysis, transplant patients, families and carers, donor families, live kidney donors, altruistic kidney donors and renal medical staff (doctors, nurses, renal surgeons).
NIKPA was formed in 1993 by Michael Logue, Rodney Curry and Alan Martin who were haemodialysis patients at the Belfast City Hospital Renal Unit.
They wanted to form an organisation which would give support and a voice to fellow dialysis patients in developing and improving the renal services in Northern Ireland.
The first NIKPA logo adopted was a red shield with NIKPA across it and the Latin below it “ET NUNC VIVIO” meaning “AND NOW, WE LIVE”
The shield logo symbolised that NIKPA were there to protect and support the interests of the renal patients.
The logo was maintained until 2009 when it was decided to change the logo to reflect that NIKPA had also now become an organisation promoting and endorsing Organ Donation.
An open competition was held in which all members were invited to submit a vision of what the NIKPA logo should be.


The logo adopted is the current Blue and Red Butterfly submitted by dialysis and transplanted patient William Johnston.
William explains the rationale behind the Butterfly:
“I began by looking at the former shield logo and discovered that by putting two overlapping shields together, these looked like the wings of a butterfly. The idea of the new butterfly logo took off from there. I had an old Blue and Red Organ Donation card on my desk and it was this which inspired the Blue and Red colours so that it looked like the Butterfly had been cut out of the Organ Donation card and therefore promoting Organ Donation.
The Butterfly logo also symbolises New Life, Freedom and Transformation from dialysis patient to transplanted patient in which the patient has an opportunity to spread their wings and show the world their true colours.
The small Red Kidney in the lower left wing lobe signifies that NIKPA will always foremost be a renal charity advocating for kidney patients across Northern Ireland.”
THE NIKPA BLUE AND RED BUTTERFLY BADGE
THE NIKPA SILVER MERIT BUTTERFLY
THE NIKPA LIVE DONOR GOLDEN BUTTERFLY
The NIKPA Committee felt that the courage and compassion of the Live Donor needed to be acknowledged and therefore the NIKPA GOLDEN LIVE DONOR BUTTERFLY was created. This is NIKPA’s way of thanking the Live Donor for Giving the Gift of Life, the Gift of Love. The badge is given to the Live Donor after the operation. Only Live Donors can wear a NIKPA Golden Butterfly.