Hello Everyone :)

On 9 December 2009, I donated one of my kidney's to my daughter Claire.  In October 2016 Claire climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro to raise money for the Kidney Transplant Team at Addenbrookes Hospital, Cambridge to give back and then returned in 2018 with family.  Her story is below.

This year I am taking the baton from Claire to continue the fundraising efforts, to give back to Addenbrookes.

To date the TOTAL FUNDS RAISED IS £7968.00 that includes all Gift Aid collected as of June 2023.

ON 2ND SEPTEMBER 2023 I will be travelling to Peru to take on the Inca Trail Trek Challenge to the hidden city of Machu Picchu, to raise money for the Kidney Transplant Team at Addenbrookes Hospital, Cambridge.  

Addenbrooke's Renal Department has been providing continued support to Claire for 30 years now from diagnosis, to transplant (14 years this year) and after care.  Without Addenbrookes my daughter and grandaughter would not be alive today.  Please help me give back to Addenbrookes so they can continue their research into finding a cure for kidney disease and continue supporting patients throughout their journey. 

PLEASE HELP ME HIT A NEW TARGET OF £10,000.00!!  We can do this!!

Whilst writing I'd also like to highlight the importance for the BAME community to sign up the the donation register as did you know...A third of those waiting for a kidney transplant in the UK are from Black, Asian and minority ethnic communities. Generally, these patients wait significantly longer for a kidney transplant than white patients if they are fortunate enough to receive an organ from a donor. Sadly, many will die waiting.

My daughter was fortunate I was able to donate my kidney to her and she had further matches if I could not.  Not everyone is that lucky...

I'll keep you updated with challenges training walks and challenges :)

Thank you in advance
Olivia x

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UPDATE FROM CLAIRE

Hi All, 

Thank you all for you kind donations on my attempt to climb Mt. Kilimanjaro in 2016.  I didn't quite make it to the top on my first attempt, I managed 5000m, my body just couldn't continue.  However, in December of 2018 I went back to climb Kili and so did my Olivia Morrison (MUM)  Pauline Gayle (SISTERS) Alanzo, Clive and Larry Blackstock (COUSINS).  We all successfully summitted on New Year's Eve/Day to the most beautiful sunrise you could ever imagine.

So the result was finally Claire vs. Mt Kilimanjaro 1 - 1.

You can view our story at https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/kilimanjaro-fantastic6 

In 2018 £3534 was raised inc. Gift Aid collected as of June 2023

In 2016 £4434 was raised inc. all Gift Aid collect as of June 2023.

I was hoping to do a new challenge this year (a cycle ride from Vietnam to Cambodia) but have had to put that on hold for now.  However, please support my amazing mum in taking on the Inca Trail Trek to the hidden city of Machu Picchu in September 2023.

100% of the donations raised will go Addenbrookes Hospital xx

Thank you 
Claire

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Hello

On 7 October 2016 I’ll be flying out to Tanzania to take on the biggest challenge of my life and this is why...

On 9 DECEMBER 2009 my mum donated one of her kidneys to me. SHE gave me LIFE for a second time and just over 6 YEARS on my transplanted kidney is performing above average :) I am THANKFUL.  I am BLESSED.  I am HERE and still going STRONG.

At the age of 20 I became seriously ill and was diagnosed with a rare kidney disease... NEPHROTIC SYNDROME. I was able to maintain my condition with medication until 2009 when I was told that my kidneys where deteriorating rapidly and I would need a transplant. Thankfully my mum was a perfect match and now I have a good life and long may it continue, many aren't so lucky.

I have a DAUGHTER (my heartbeat).  I’m GRATEFUL and BLESSED by my FAMILY and FRIENDS for their SUPPORT and all the silent PRAYERS especially when I didn't know they were praying, or had me in their THOUGHTS and HEARTS, it helped and still does. 
 
FOR TWENTY FOUR YEARS I've been travelling back and forth to ADDENBROOKES HOSPITAL in Cambridge. The consultants, nurses, porters and so many people there have looked after me. They are ALL my EARTH ANGELS and now it is time for me TO GIVE BACK!!

Climbing MOUNT KILIMANJARO is the biggest challenge I’ve ever set myself.  It will be physical, mental and I’m sure emotional but I’m going to do it TO GIVE BACK to Addenbrookes an AMAZING and SUPPORTIVE hospital, not only to me but to thousands.

Money raised will be split between the Kidney Transplant Team and follow-up care, the Rosie NICU, for bringing my daughter Brianna safely into the world and to the John Farman Intensive Care Unit who were swift and saved my life after I developed a type of pneumonia which kidney transplant patients can develop.

SO HERE I AM 6 YEARS STRONG asking for your support and donations because if it wasn't for Adddenbrookes Hospital I wouldn't be here today telling you my story.

I like many others and maybe even you have had to face challenges in life and let’s be honest not ones we set ourselves.  Please join me on this journey because in the words of my daughter Brianna... “it’s going to be AWESOME”.

Thank you

Claire x

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DID YOU KNOW...

NEPHROTIC SYNDROME is normally diagnosed in children, although it can affect people of any age. It is rare, affecting around three in every 100,000 people.  Those with the condition have kidneys that do not work properly, resulting in large amounts of protein leaking into their urine. This loss of protein causes a range of problems, including the swelling of body tissues and increasing the risk of catching infections. The condition is normally managed with steroids to stop protein from leaking into the urine. Diuretics can also be prescribed to help reduce the build-up of fluid, while penicillin is prescribed during relapses to reduce the risk of infection. In some cases, consultants will recommend kidney transplantation, which stops the proteins being lost – but can
result in rejection – and being on dialysis while waiting for a suitable donor.

The ADDENBROOKES Transplant Team perform more than 160 kidney transplants annually.
*  http://www.cuh.org.uk/cambridge-transplant-centre

A KIDNEY TRANSPLANT COSTS £17,000 for the first year, with annual
immunosuppression costs of around £5,000.
*  My kidney transplant was by a LIVE DONOR my Mum :)
*  I now take immunosuppressant medication daily, together with blood pressure medication, for life.

Annual cost of HAEMODIALYSIS £30,800 per patient.
*  Haemodialysis is the process of artificially simulating some of the functions of the kidney, such as filtering waste products (toxins) from the blood and removing excess fluid. Treatment is required upto 3 times a week.