My Story

We're taking part in the TCS London Marathon 2025! 

In June 2023, we celebrated our youngest son's first birthday. 

Beau was a cheeky, happy, and healthy 1 year old until he caught a common sickness and diarrhoea bug that most toddlers will encounter. Unfortunately Beaus sickness was E.coli and the most severe strain- 0157. 

Within days, our world was turned upside down. After numerous visits and lots of blood tests at our local hospital, we were told that our baby had Acute Kidney Injury (AKI). 

Hours later it became clear that his kidneys were not working at all and he was diagnosed with Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome (HUS), a very rare but serious complication of strain 0157 Ecoli. He was rushed to Great Ormond Street Hospital for treatment.

At GOSH he was treated in the Kidney Care ward, he received multiple blood transfusions, underwent surgeries and was on dialysis 24 hours a day until he started to respond and could be weaned off.  

Our son's future health is a little uncertain, although he should live a very happy childhood, he is set to face challenges in his teenage years /early adulthood. He is on lifelong medications and has been diagnosed with Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) as a result of this disease (HUS).

He will likely require dialysis or a transplant in the future.

Kidney Care UK has provided us with vital information about CKD, and we anticipate many interactions with them in the future.

KCUK means so much to us as a family, so the least we can do is give back to the charity that saved our son's life. We hope that treatment and research for kidney disease progresses over the years so our son has the best treatment available if needed.

A little about Kidney Care UK

Kidney Care UK is the UK's leading kidney patient support charity. Established in 1975 as the British Kidney Patient Association, we have been at the forefront of supporting people affected by kidney disease for nearly 50 years.

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) in the UK

CKD is a common, long term and irreversible condition affecting up to 7.2m million people or around 1 in 10 of the adult population in the UK. Numbers are expected to rise significantly over the next decade, driven by the increase in type 2 diabetes, obesity, and cardiovascular disease, which can all lead to an increased risk of CKD.

A significant proportion of patients with CKD (around 3.5 million) develop advanced CKD and around 30,000 of these patients go on to develop kidney failure.

Kidney Care UK exists to ensure no one has to face CKD alone

Kidney Care UK has always and will always stand with those with any stage of CKD and anyone affected by the condition.

We know living with kidney disease can be lonely. Our team of compassionate, understanding experts work across the UK alongside patients' multi-disciplinary clinical teams .

We are there for kidney patients, with a compassionate heart and a knowledgeable ear. We help them navigate the system and make life easier. Whatever the problem, issue or question, no matter how big or small, we provide expert support and help.

We produce best-in-class patient information for patients and healthcare professionals and have been awarded PIF Tick Accreditation, the UK’s quality mark for print and online health and care information. Our resources are evidence-based, jargon-free, up-to-date and produced to the best possible standard.