Opening the door to travel: Mobility and Holidays Week in Portugal
In March, we launched our first ‘Mobility and Holidays Week’ in Portugal, across 28 clinics nationwide. Our goal was simple: to help patients and their families better understand how travelling is possible with haemodialysis, in a way that feels clear, safe, and reassuring.
For many patients, travelling can feel financially or emotionally out of reach. By talking about ‘mobility’, we opened the conversation to a more inclusive and realistic perspective. Mobility can mean visiting family, attending important life events, travelling for work, or, when possible, taking holidays. This helped more patients see that travel could still be part of their lives.
The week brought together social workers, nurses, administrative teams, and other members of our multidisciplinary teams - all working side by side towards a shared purpose: helping patients live fulfilling lives.
The week was launched under the theme “Mobility: where I have been, where I would like to go”. Patients were invited to reconnect with their own stories and aspirations - whether returning to their hometown, visiting loved ones, attending significant events, travelling for work, or taking holidays. What we saw was more than participation: it was emotion, memories and, for many, the realisation that movement is still part of their lives.
Following this, we focused on two key areas:
• Travelling within Portugal
We wanted to show that travelling within the country is not only possible, but also easier than many may think. Patients learned about Diaverum’s clinic network, “Let’s Travel Together”- Diaverum Portugal’s initiative organising annual group trips for dialysis patients and their caregivers within the country - our ‘Welcome Packs’ (including partnerships with hotels and organised excursions), the option of travelling to clinics outside the Diaverum network, and the continuous support the home clinic provides throughout the entire process.
These topics were shared through short, informal sessions, where our mobility ambassadors – patients – talked about their own experiences. Hearing real stories made a real difference. It helped others feel more confident and see that travelling could be possible for them too.
Travelling abroad: information for safe mobility
In this session, we focused on making international travel feel less overwhelming. Patients learned about opportunities to travel across 25 countries and more than 460 clinics, the role of d.HOLIDAY coordinators, and the simple booking process - supported by clear explanations, open dialogue, and real-life testimonials.
From the patient perspective, the impact was clear. As one patient shared:
“This week meant a lot to me. I understood that it is possible to move safely, and that gives freedom not only to me, but also to my family”.
This week showed something important: being on dialysis doesn’t mean putting life on hold. With the right support, patients can continue to travel, stay connected, and do the things that matter most to them.
It was incredibly rewarding to see how positively patients responded throughout the week. Most importantly, it reminded us that mobility is not only about travelling - it is about freedom, dignity, and hope.
At d.HOLIDAY, our mission is to make mobility safe, seamless, and accessible for every dialysis patient. We act as a dedicated concierge service, supporting every step of the travel journey - from planning and booking to making sure care continues abroad. Initiatives like this help patients understand what is possible – and how to make it happen.
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