We have a very personal reason for setting up this Just Giving appeal, as our son Alastair (pictured on the left) is living with chronic kidney disease. I am very grateful to family and friends who have agreed to join me in this appeal and tackle the challenges that lay ahead!

Alastair, our son, was diagnosed with chronic kidney disease at the age of 18, after he had surgery to remove a malfunctioning kidney, that was 22 years ago.

Over the years his remaining kidney has slowly deteriorated, this came to a head in 2025. Alastair was placed on the kidney transplant list and by the Autumn of 2025 he required dialysis. The family were keen to donate one of their kidneys and underwent a number of tests to see if they could be the donor. Alas, none of us were suitable, there was no direct match.

However, thanks to the Live Kidney Donor Scheme we could still help Alastair and others facing a similar challenge. The scheme is effectively a kidney swap or matched sharing programme. The UK based transplant co-ordinators look at all the kidneys being offered through the scheme and compare against the requirements of the recipients. They run the 'matching up" four times per year. At the forth round his brother, James (pictured on the right) was picked as a donor when the scheme threw up a match for his kidney, this in turn triggered a match for Alastair. A transplant was now a real possibility! On the 16th of December 2025, 3 donors and 3 recipients were taken to operating theatres across the UK to donate and receive a new kidney.

James was in Oxford and Alastair was in Edinburgh. All operations must take place on the same day, this requires a huge amount of co-ordination and logistical planning. Things can go wrong as we discovered. The flight arranged to transport the kidney to Alastair had a technical issue and an alternative had to be found .. quickly as the clock was ticking for this kidney!

James spent 6 weeks recovering before returning to the front line at Dorchester Hospital where he is a consultant. He just happens to manage the renal team too!

Alastair's journey has been less straightforward. He has had to rely heavily on the research and medication associated with kidney transplants. His transplanted kidney is adapting to life in a new body and Alastair's body is trying to accept the presence of a new kidney. There is still some conflict here!

As I was not selected as a donor, I was assured this was not due to me turning 70 I have been focusing on raising awareness of kidney disease and taken on a number of personal challenges and encouraged family and friends to join me on a couple!

My current challenges are:

15 March - Tay Fitness Challenge - Callander 10km - solo. Completed in ghastly weather, photo evidence in the gallery!

21 March - Falkirk Wheel Abseil with Adrian - completed in perfect conditions, photo evidence!

26 April - Tay Fitness Challenge - Hidden Glen - solo - completed!

2 May - RRS Discovery Mast Climb with Jane Dalgleish, Jacquie Hampton and Nicky McDiarmid. - completed! See photos

We hope to emulate the real conditions and challenges faced by Shackleton and the crew of RRS Discovery during their Antarctic expedition 124 years ago; from climbing authentic rigging to navigating the small narrow pathways above deck. Gaining a sense of the physical effort, exposure and perspective experienced by the original explorers on their journeys South

10 May - Tay Fitness Challenge - Thornhill 10km - solo - completed!

24 May - Edinburgh 1/2 Marathon - solo - completed! See photos .

7 June - Tay Fitness Challenge Mhor 84 -10km - solo

22 August Tay Fitness Challenge - Killin 10km - solo

11 October - Rannoch 1/2 marathon - solo. I am being challenged to make this a full marathon!! Watch this space.

Every picture tells a story - check out the ‘gallery’ and judge for yourself!

Thank you for reading my story and I hope you will be able to encourage me and the 'team' as we embark on the tasks ahead!

Judy, Adrian, Jacquie, Nicky, Jane, James and Alastair