Eastland's first dialysis center is one step closer to reality.
Construction crews brought the buildings over from Burleson and set them into the ground Monday afternoon.
Until now, the closest dialysis facility for patients in the area was in Abilene.
"So they're having to drive three days a week, 120 miles round-trip," said Ted Matthews, administrator at Eastland Memorial Hospital.
The 3,300 square-foot facility will serve as a regional dialysis center for Eastland and the surrounding counties.
It is a much needed expansion, funded by the city's economic development fund, Eastland Memorial Hospital and community members themselves.
"I had people dropping by my office writing me checks for the dialysis center," said Matthews.
For many in the community, it's more than just four walls and a roof -- the building is a complete game-changer.
"The first day we walked into the dialysis center, I told my husband I didn't want to go back," said Ruth Norris, a dialysis patient. "It was overwhelming, I knew nothing about it."
48-year-old Norris suffered from kidney failure three years ago.
Since then, she has had a double transplant -- both her kidney and her pancreas.
But soon after, her body rejected the new organ.
"The doctors did everything they could, but we basically lost the donor kidney and I'm back doing dialysis," Norris explained.
Norris relies on her family to drive her to the Abilene dialysis center three times a week, for treatments that can last up to seven hours.
But that will all change when Eastland's center opens its doors.
Hospital officials said they already know of at least 35 dialysis patients who will benefit from the closer location.
The facility will be up and running by the end of August.
It will then take a few months to become Medicare-certified, so officials are hoping to be able to serve patients by November.
Construction crews brought the buildings over from Burleson and set them into the ground Monday afternoon.
Until now, the closest dialysis facility for patients in the area was in Abilene.
"So they're having to drive three days a week, 120 miles round-trip," said Ted Matthews, administrator at Eastland Memorial Hospital.
The 3,300 square-foot facility will serve as a regional dialysis center for Eastland and the surrounding counties.
It is a much needed expansion, funded by the city's economic development fund, Eastland Memorial Hospital and community members themselves.
"I had people dropping by my office writing me checks for the dialysis center," said Matthews.
For many in the community, it's more than just four walls and a roof -- the building is a complete game-changer.
"The first day we walked into the dialysis center, I told my husband I didn't want to go back," said Ruth Norris, a dialysis patient. "It was overwhelming, I knew nothing about it."
48-year-old Norris suffered from kidney failure three years ago.
Since then, she has had a double transplant -- both her kidney and her pancreas.
But soon after, her body rejected the new organ.
"The doctors did everything they could, but we basically lost the donor kidney and I'm back doing dialysis," Norris explained.
Norris relies on her family to drive her to the Abilene dialysis center three times a week, for treatments that can last up to seven hours.
But that will all change when Eastland's center opens its doors.
Hospital officials said they already know of at least 35 dialysis patients who will benefit from the closer location.
The facility will be up and running by the end of August.
It will then take a few months to become Medicare-certified, so officials are hoping to be able to serve patients by November.
