Thank you so much for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.

I'm running the London Landmarks Half Marathon for the amazing charity Kidney Care UK.

This 21k run will be a real challenge testing my physical and mental strength. For those who don't know however, the real challenge is overcoming the fact I have no working kidneys and rely on 32 hours of nocturnal dialysis each week to stay alive!

In 1996, aged 20, I was diagnosed with a rare kidney disease FSGS which led to kidney failure in 2000. It was a crushing blow. I was treated with haemodialysis in hospital for 5 hours 3 x each week for almost 6 years until I received a deceased donor kidney transplant. Within weeks the disease recurred and I faced a struggle with frequent hospital visits, plasma exchange and cocktails of drugs. This transplant failed in 2011.

Later that year my beautiful wife Ash 🤩 donated a kidney as we began to forge our life together. Unfortunately the disease recurred again and I relied on maintenance plasma exchange upto 3 x week. Again it was a real struggle with dark days and other illnesses, and I learnt much about myself and others.

By 2016 we had our first child Nikhita but two years later my transplant failed. I began home dialysis and transitioned to nocturnal dialysis. It has been transformational. Our second child Rishi was born in 2019.

Despite the struggle, I work, have a beautiful family and I'm thankful for the quality of life dialysis gives me.

Kidney disease is insidious affecting every part of your life you can think of, and the burden and impact is similar to cancer.

Kidney Care UK support patients and carers with grants, counselling and advocacy as well as through a range of first class written and visual information. It understands patients intrinsically, has their back and helps them reclaim their lives.

Kidney Care UK leaves no patient alone!

My initial target is £700 but quite frankly, I hope, with your generosity, you will be able to help me smash and replace it, with a befitting sum! 💪 🙏🤞

Love,

Nick xx