In the 1990s, Smithy Zimran was a long way from his family while he received dialysis in Alice Springs.

Names and images used with permission.

The crisp white hospital was 600 kilometres away from the red sands and wide blue skies of his western desert home.

His son, Jeffrey Zimran, recounted his father's story from the remote Indigenous community of Kintore/Walungurru.

"I remember one afternoon, he told me, 'My son, this is not where I should be,'" he said.

" 'This is not my country, this is not my dreaming, this is not my songline. I should be back on country — that's where I belong.' "

Jeffrey said his dad's vision was for people to be able to receive dialysis on country, which led to the development of the Western Desert Nganampa Walytja Palyantjaku Tjutaku, also known as Purpl

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