Most people who have Kidney Disease don't realise they have it. As was the case with me when at the age of 18 and in my first week of university the call came. Was it serious? "we don't know...." and so began months of tests before the inevitable news..... Yes it was serious, both kidneys were effected, I had around 50% function and in around 5 years time I would need a transplant . It turned out that I had had the condition since the age of 2, when a common childhood urine infection spread to my kidneys while they were still developing and damaged them. This could have happened to anyone!

As you can imagine it came as a huge shock to the system, at that age you are supposed to feel invincible, and I did. Now life changed, long term planning was out and I lived in the short term, from one appointment to the next. Let me just graduate, let me finish my first year of teaching..... one last summer holiday and so on. 

During those early years I didn't really speak about it a lot, it may have been denial but it wasn't very healthy. I wanted to talk to someone else with the condition, but looking around my inpatient appointment clinic it was like looking at the cast of Last of the Summer Wine rather than anyone I could relate to. A few close friends and family knew but the vast majority of people didn't and for a time at least outwardly everything was fine. Inwardly though I was struggling and although I had beaten the initial time scale laid out by the doctors I could feel things slowing down and symptoms increasing.  So came 2016 when I walked into the assembly hall at Saffron Walden County High School and framed within the topic of 'Resilience' I told the staff and the students everything. It was a huge relief and the support that came my way was amazing. It felt like a huge weight had been lifted, many staff held back in the weeks after that, I guess its difficult to know what to say, but kids being kids would ask all sorts of questions and I found this helped a lot. 

Leaving SWCHS later that year from a career perspective as a step up but from dealing with CKD was a step backwards.  I joined The Priory School in Hitchin as Head of Year. I was their third Head of Year these 220 students had had in 12 months and I was conscious that they needed consistency. I did not want the school to think I could not cope or the students to think I was just another member of staff in what appeared to them to be a revolving door. So save for the head teacher and a couple of close friends no-one knew. Inevitably though there were clue's, the vast quantities of medication I took raised some awkward questions from staff on a school trip and I couldn't really hide my increasingly grey appearance. Questions were being asked by staff and students, fortunately not directly to me. Much like 3 years previously the inevitable assembly had to take place and once again the support from the students is something I will never forget. 

In many ways I have been lucky and have outlasted many of the doctors predictions, however over the last few months I have transitioned from Stage 4 to 5 (end stage) CKD.  Rather than feeling sorry for myself and moping around I wanted to do something about it and following a conversation with a couple of close friends the idea of this charity match came up. 

Football has always been close to my heart. I was fortunate enough to work for 10 Years at Saffron Walden County High School within an outstanding PE Department. During those 10 Years I managed to see through 2 football squads. coaching, touring and spending time with these lads was the highlight of my time there and when you work so closely with a group over such a long period of time a bond develops. I am over the moon that almost everyone from these squads as well as staff and parents have agreed to come back and play a one off charity match for Kidney Research UK. It will be with 

The Class of 2013 Vs the Class of 2018.

All the lads will be putting in to play, we take donations on the gate and thanks to Plantation FC we also will have the bar taking too.

DETAILS OF THE MATCH TO FOLLOW.

So what better fund to raise money for than Newcastle United goal scoring sensation of the magic Kevin Keegan era and fellow Kidney Disease sufferer Andy Cole.

 Andy has set up the Andy Cole Fund alongside Kidney Research UK to help people like him, who are living with kidney disease. The money raised goes towards vital research into transplants and the best ways to support patients mental health and wellbeing. If you've been moved by Andy's goals or his transplant story, whether you're part of the football family or know how this condition or a transplant can change lives, now is the time to join Andy's Fund and finish kidney disease for good. So lets get united and change the game for kidney disease together!