I nearly lost my best friend Kate during the birth of her first child in August. She was 34 and healthy, What should have been a wonderful and life changing experience turned into a nightmare when Kate developed HELLP syndrome, septic shock and subsequently organ failure. Add in a pandemic and it’s been an extremely tough 6 months for her, her family and her nearest and dearest.

After she was finally discharged from hospital following 10 days in the ICU that I will never forget, and a good few weeks on a ward, she was able to return home to be with her husband and newborn son, but is still having to have draining dialysis at least two times a week for several hours. 

Kate needs a new kidney to live a normal life, but there are currently 850 million people worldwide living with kidney disease and there is so much still unknown. In this day and age, this is not OK. 

I'm joining the fight to help end kidney disease by completing the #8500stepchallenge and taking 8500 steps a day every day throughout March for World Kidney Day. With kidney disease now being the 10th top cause of death globally, Kidney Research UK has never been more important. Kidney disease ruins and destroys lives. Research is key to transforming kidney health and support is crucial to make this happen. Please donate whatever you can, every £ will help to keep research going and help kidney patients. Kidney disease ends here.

Thank you