In October 2012, my dear mother, Ida Bass was diagnosed with chronic kidney disease in The Gambia, where I am from. She started dialysis treatment six months later.

During a trip to The Gambia in May 2013, I accompanied her to one of her dialysis sessions and was very saddened to see her receiving treatment in such a severely under-equipped haemodialysis centre with a very high patient mortality rate. On my return to the UK in June 2013, I decided to setup a charity to improve the centre.

Unfortunately, my mother passed away on 15 September 2013 due to failure to receive sufficient dialysis treatment to stay alive. She was only on dialysis for 4 months, which is the norm at present in The Gambia. The longest surviving patient on dialysis there is 11 months. In the UK, kidney patients can live with dialysis treatment for more than 25 years. I hope with your valuable donations we can change this and see patients receive better care and improve the outcome for those on dialysis.

The centre currently has only 5 dialsysis machines for the entire length and breadth of the country with the exception of kidney disease sufferers with blood-borne viruses (i.e HIV & Hepatitis). This group currently do not receive dialysis treatment at all.

This race will help raise money towards desperately needed dialysis treatment in The Gambia. Please dig deep and sponsor me online – it is quick, easy and totally secure.

To find out more about the work of the charity, please click this link: www.ibkf.org.uk

Thank you for your support.