I've decided to jump back into a wetsuit in order to go white water rafting to raise money for Kidney Research. I am doing this in solidarity with Jelina and her family. I was very inspired by her journey, she stands strong as a powerful and giving woman and is living proof of the benefits and the reach of this charity.  

I had to set out her story below, as any summary would do it injustice: 

''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.'

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