‘Forever grateful’

Today is World Kidney Day (WKD) an annual global awareness and education event, held on the second Thursday in March every year.

The 2019 campaign theme is Kidney Health for Everyone Everywhere, with the aim to draw public attention to the importance of maintaining a healthy lifestyle to help protect the kidneys, the risks for developing kidney disease and the impact it has on patients.

Meet Richard Grant. Richard is the delivery office manager in Peterborough. In 2006 he began to feel unwell. A trip to the doctors, followed by various tests, revealed he had contracted a common virus, which had triggered vasculitis, causing among other things, major loss of kidney function.

In 2015, Richard’s kidneys began to fail and he was forced to rely on lengthy, hemodialysis sessions to keep him alive. The most effective treatment for kidney failure is a transplant and in 2016, friends, family and even his former manager at Royal Mail offered to donate one of their kidneys to help Richard.

In the end it was his brother, Brendan, who turned out to be the best match for Richard. He said: ‘Most of all I dedicate this to my brother, Brendan, who made the decision himself to save my life and for that, I am forever grateful.

‘I will never forget the beautiful dream I had the night after receiving my new kidney. Due to increasing toxin levels I had suffered disturbed sleep, including night terrors, for some time. When I woke up the world seemed like an incredible place again.’

Kidney disease is a silent killer. There are three million people in the UK with it right now and there is no cure. Richard’s story shows that kidney disease can strike anyone at any time. Sadly, five people die each week in the UK waiting for a kidney transplant. Richard is sharing his story today to raise awareness of kidney health and Kidney Research UK – the largest UK kidney research charity.  

On today’s World Kidney Day, why not show your support for Richard and take the FREE kidney health check by clicking here.