My Story

My name is Adam and I am now 45 years old,

I am running the London Marathon to raise funds for Kidney research UK on the 20th Anniversary of my Kidney Transplant which saved my life.

My Battle With Kidney Disease.

I was diagnosed with kidney disease just prior to my 18^th birthday, I had been ill on several occasions in prior years and suffered with lethargy. Reflecting on this now, I did not accept the diagnosis readily and don’t think anything could have prepared me for the harsh reality of coping with the disease as my renal function progressively deteriorated.

The reason for my Kidney Failure was not clear, I don’t have any close family with similar issues at a similar age and no associated illnesses such as diabetes. Looking back now I can recall how difficult it was not to feel the victim of some cruel cosmic joke, not knowing why this happened was difficult to come to terms with at a young age.

I was fortunate to be in relationship with my future wife. This helped me focus on building a career and I am pleased to say that I managed to hold down a job and complete qualifications whilst fighting illness and later undertaking a form of dialysis called CAPD (continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis).

There were some incredibly low moments during my time on dialysis, I had a permanent tube sticking out of my abdomen and was hospitalised several times with infection. Looking back, I did not understand at the time how ill or depressed I was. I can recall being in Leicester Hospital for a significant amount of time, a long way from friends and family wondering if I would make it back home again after a particularly difficult infection. I vividly recall breaking down with happiness when I was finally on the way home.

After years of dialysis and slow deterioration in my health, I was lucky enough to be a match with a cadaveric doner. The odds were stacked against the success of the transplant, there were issues with the way the donor organ was extracted, it was a long time in transport, but after a brief discussion with the Transpalnt team we went for it.

I can honestly say that I woke up a different person, I can remember feeling hungry for the first time in years and so happy to no longer have a fluid restriction.

I am so grateful to the family that decided to donate, whist enduring tragic circumstances, they gave me the opportunity to have a family of my own and live a relatively normal life. I recall writing an anonymous letter to them expressing my gratitude at their gift and I raise a glass to them on the anniversary every year.

Whilst a transplant is not a cure, it has enabled me to have a successful career with the organisation that saved me, the NHS.

I'd appreciate your help to support research into this terrible disease. Many people are less fortunate than me and I saw too many people pass away from this disease while in hospital.

Thanks for reading my story

Adam

More About Kidney Research Uk

As the leading kidney research charity in the UK, nothing is going to stop us in our urgent mission to end kidney disease. We’re here to be heard, to make a difference, to change the future. This is a disease that ruins and destroys lives. It must be stopped.

Over the past 60 years, our research has made an impact. But kidney failure is rising, as are the factors contributing to it, such as diabetes and obesity.

Today, we are more essential than ever.


In the UK there are approximately 3.25 million people living with chronic kidney disease (CKD) stages 3-5 and a further 3.9 million people are estimated to have CKD stages 1-2, together reaching a total of 7.2 million people living with kidney disease in the UK, that’s more than 10% of the entire population. Treatments can be gruelling and currently there is no cure. Only research will end this and nobody can do it but us, by offering kidney patients and their families hope for the future. We’re taking it on. But we can’t do it without you. Kidney disease ends here.