Throughout March, we will be sporting our finest and most embarrassing fancy dress for a walk every day to celebrate World Kidney Day. We want to raise funds, awareness and hopefully brighten someone's day.

Anything that you’re able to contribute will make a massive difference. Fancy dress nominations and suggestions most welcome in your donation comments!

Thank you, 

Team Toop & co x

P.S. And if you fancy getting involved too - AMAZING - please send me a message!

Why?
1 in 9 people worldwide have kidney disease. In the UK alone, it affects three million people, and yet, there is a huge lack of awareness and understanding about its severity.

It is an incurable disease, the treatments are utterly gruelling and the challenges and obstacles it presents will last a lifetime, even after a transplant. Living with it is physically and mentally exhausting and takes a huge amount of character, strength and resilience. 

It can affect anyone too. Not just the elderly or unfit. Danny was in teens when he was diagnosed with IGA nephropathy, began dialysis in his twenties before receiving his transplant from his mum. And he would be considered one of the lucky ones to have an eligible live donor too.

Currently 8 out of 10 people on the transplant list are waiting for a kidney. The average waiting time is 3 years, and tragically, every week 5 people will die while they are waiting for a transplant.

Mental health
1 in 3 people with kidney disease will experience depression at some point. Yet most renal units in the UK do not employ the recommended number of social workers or psychologists for their kidney patient population. In fact, over the last 15 years in renal paediatric care, psychology and social work services have decreased by 21%.

I find it staggering (and pretty appalling) that throughout the whole of Danny’s medical journey; from his initial diagnosis, beginning dialysis, pre and post-transplant, there has never once been any discussion or offer of support for his mental health. 

The C word
We know this past year has been hugely challenging for everyone. For kidney patients the impact of coronavirus has been immense. Higher risk, shielding for most of the year, cut off from friends and family, financial struggles, challenges with employment, anxiety, furlough, medical procedures cancelled, transplants paused and a grave reminder of fragility to be repeated labelled as clinically extremely vulnerable. 

The impact on physical, financial and mental health has been enormous.

How you can help
Throughout pandemic, Kidney Care has seen a huge increase in the numbers of people coming to them for help. From counselling to tackle mental health issues, to hardship grants addressing the financial problems caused by being unable to work.

To continue providing these vital services, they need our help, now more than ever.

Thank you for taking the time to read our JustGiving Page and learn more. We really appreciate it and anything that you’re able to contribute will make a massive difference.

Your donation can change someone’s life.

Thanks again, 

Danny, Laura, Jackson, Eileen, Chis, Steve, George, Becca, Callie, Chloe, Caitlin, Ollie, Tess, Lily, Bertie, Matt, Michelle, Freddie, Archie, Ellie & Lewis x

P.S. Again, fancy dress nominations and suggestions welcome in your donation comments!

P.P.S. And if you fancy getting involved too - AMAZING -  please send me a message! The more the merrier!