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In 2020, after a relatively fit and healthy life, I was diagnosed with Kidney Disease. In the following 2 years as my kidney function and my health started to decline, I was faced with the prospect of having Kidney Dialysis 3 times a day and without a Kidney Transplant I faced an uncertain future. Kidney Dialysis can mean a very restricted life and ultimately, the life expectancy for a patient on dialysis is not great.

Luckily the Renal Department at Colchester Hospital had put me on a transplant waiting list early after diagnosis.

I had been told that I could get a transplant but it wasn’t guaranteed and there was a waiting list around 2 years.

The effects of Kidney Disease had started to take its toll on my health in general and my kidneys failed in June 2023.

As my health declined, I prepared myself for the inevitable change in my health & circumstances. I felt my life was never going to be the same as I lost all my energy and enthusiasm. My days would often be affected by feeling very unwell and unable to function properly.

Then in July 2023 in the late afternoon I receive a call that a potential kidney match had come up. A young man had sadly died in a drowning accident.This is a very surreal moment as you digest that your life is about to be saved because of the death of someone else.

The Surgeon phoned me to say that the kidney was a match but there were complications, ultimately if the kidney survived the trauma it would be a good transplant. The next 12 hours would tell. I was told to drop everything and get to Addenbrookes Hospital immediately.

On the 4th July 2023 I had a 10 hour operation which was successful. Now it was a waiting game to see it the Kidney would start working. After 48 hours the Kidney slowly started to work. 7 Days later I was sent home with a new Kidney, the next 3 months recovery would tell if my body would accept or reject the new kidney.

Well, after a roller coaster 2 years the kidney has settled in and my Kidney Function is near normal.

My life has been given back and ultimately the Transplant save my life.

I cannot express how thankful I am to the team of surgeons and the whole transplant team. The care I received from the doctors, nurses and staff during my recovery has been exceptional. The levels of care and dedication I received in firstly, Intensive Care, and then on the ward was truly inspirational. I am forever grateful to them all.

Furthermore, the aftercare I received over the last 2 years has also been exceptional. I started with check ups 2 times a week, this has slowly decreased and now my check ups are every 3 months. After every check up I feel as though they really care about your journey and are always there if there are any problems.

Addenbrookes Hospital has given me my life back and I can now look forward to enjoying life and watching my wonderful grandson grow up.

The NHS comes in for some criticism, but I can honestly say that when I really need it, it came through for me.

So now I want to try to give a little bit back if I can. My work colleagues and some friends have decided to join Helen and I on a sponsored team trek up to the top of Snowdonia to raise funds for The Addenbrookes Charitable Trust. We plan to get everyone to the top as a team!

I want to say, thanks guys, to all that are joining me on the challenge, it means the world to me!

Kidney Disease is a disease that can sneak up on you without any obvious symptoms and once it reaches a certain level there is no cure. I hope that I can also raise some awareness of the disease.

If you can donate something, again, I would be eternally grateful. To be able for me to give something back to Addenbrookes is a special thing for me to do. I will be forever in their debt!

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