Jonah’s Story

In August 2024, just after our son Jonah had turned four, our world changed very quickly.

He suddenly became seriously unwell. Within a couple of days we were sitting in St George's Hospital running various tests to find out what was wrong. No one could really pin down what was making Jonah feel so poorly. Within 24 hours we were back in hospital with Jonah’s condition deteriorating. The doctors talked us through the different possibilities, including some of the most frightening ones. One of them was HUS, a condition we had never even heard of before. His kidneys had stopped working.

One moment he was a normal four-year-old running around and playing, and the next we were in an emergency ambulance transfer to Evelina London Children’s Hospital. It was one of the scariest moments of our lives.

What is HUS?

HUS (Haemolytic Uraemic Syndrome) is a rare condition that mainly affects young children. It damages the tiny blood vessels in the kidneys and can quickly lead to sudden kidney failure.

In the UK there are only around 100 cases each year, which explains why we had never come across it before Jonah became ill.

Jonah’s treatment

When we arrived at Evelina London Children’s Hospital, the specialist team there recognised what was happening very quickly. Their experience and quick action made a huge difference.

Jonah spent the next two weeks in hospital having dialysis every day. Seeing your four-year-old connected to a dialysis machine is something no parent ever expects, and it was a very difficult time for us as a family.

But we witnessed first-hand the incredible care from the team at Evelina. The doctors and nurses were calm, patient and endlessly kind with Jonah, and they took the time to explain everything to us and answer all our questions. They gave us confidence at a time when we really needed it.

Thankfully, Jonah recovered well and today he’s back to being the happy, energetic boy he was before.

Why I’m fundraising

Evelina London cares for more than 100,000 children every year, many of them facing rare or life-threatening conditions like Jonah’s. The charity helps fund research, specialist equipment and support for families going through incredibly difficult moments.

When your child is that sick, the people caring for them mean everything. Evelina gave Jonah the treatment he needed and gave us reassurance that he was in the best possible hands.

If you’re able to donate, thank you. Your support will help make sure other families receive the same care and support that we did.