On the 1^st of December 2021, my son William and I will be embarking on a challenge which I have no doubt with push us in both body and mind.

This is a very personal challenge for Will and I because in June of this year Will was diagnosed with IgA Nephropathy (Berger’s Disease) and IgA Vasculitis (Henoch-Schonlein). Both of these are chronic kidney diseases which, over time cause damage to his Kidneys leading to the need for dialysis and ultimately kidney transplant. For Will this will be a lifelong condition caused by a malformation of the IgA protein we all produce when fighting a cold, cough or viral infection. There is no cure for either of these diseases and they do not know what causes them, However research is continually striving to develop medication to help manage the symptom, reduce the long term effects of the diseases and one day find a cure.

With the love and support of our family and friends, along with the dedication of medical professionals, Will and I are living each day to the full, as we always have done, and this is why we are taking up this challenge. I look to the future and hope medical advances will have been achieved when Will may need them most. Supporting and raising money for Kidney Research UK is a step in the right direction. We want to help find the answers.