Dear family and friends,

Happy New Year 2017!

Thank you for taking the time to visit our Justgiving page.  We - Jelina, Matthew, Jebi and Zillur – together with our friends, will be taking part in the Kidney Research UK White Water Rafting challenge in Aberfeldy, Scotland, on the weekend of 11-12 March, 2017.

We have been supporting Kidney Research UK for a number of years now, since Jelina’s kidneys failed ten years ago as a result of an auto-immune illness, Systemic Lupus Erythematosis (diagnosed at the age of 17).  Jelina was a kidney dialysis patient for 4 long years from 2005 - 2009, strapped to a dialysis machine 3 times a week, 5 hours each session.  She was limited to a litre of fluid a day, and minimal potassium intake (fruits and salads, her favourite) and the worst part for her, restricted to the places she could travel to, including London.  This was difficult for someone who loves travelling and has been independent since leaving London for Glasgow at the age of 18 to pursue a career in human rights and family law. 

In 2007, Jelina became critically ill with pancreatitis, she spent over 3 months in hospital and the intensive care unit as her weight dropped to 5 stones.  She also lost all her hair, and had to postpone her wedding until 2008.  On 4 December 2009, a month after climbing Ben Nevis to raise money for Kidney Research UK, Jelina got the long-awaited call and headed to the hospital and underwent a successful kidney transplant.  On 24 March 2016, Jelina and Matthew were blessed with their first baby daughter, Aliyah Nahara Rahman Berlow, but not without complications…Jelina’s kidney transplant was at risk of failing, and Aliyah was 6 weeks premature.  Insh’Allah (God willing), mother and baby are both fighting strong, which is why we continue to support Kidney Research UK, a charity that is dedicated to researching kidney disease in the UK, and relies almost wholly on the generous donations of the UK public.

STV covered Jelina’s story as part of a campaign to encourage people in Scotland to sign up to the organ donation register – see the link here: buff.ly/1TKUnE3 

Please help us to reach our target for this incredible cause that is close to our hearts.  We will cover our own travel, accommodation and other costs over the weekend, so all the proceeds will go directly to Kidney Research UK.  It is Jelina’s birthday in January, and Matthew and Jebi’s birthdays in February, so if you were thinking of treating us, we’d much prefer it if you could kindly donate generously instead…even the price of a coffee or drink from a couple of pounds would be a great start, and much appreciated! 

If you would like to join us on this extreme adventure, get in touch with us as we may have space on our boats or contact Liz McGuinness, Fundraising Manager (Scotland, Cumbria, and Northern Ireland): Email: LizMcGuinness@kidneyresearchuk.org

Thank you in advance for your generous donation.  We wish you and your family every health and happiness in 2017!

With love from Jelina, Matthew, Jebi, Zillur, and baby Aliyah xxx

Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving - they'll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they'll send your money directly to the charity. So it's the most efficient way to donate - saving time and cutting costs for the charity.