A year ago we found out we were having a baby and it was the best news ever! Only 4 weeks later we received a phone call to say my boyfriend had to go straight to the hospital as something wasn’t right with his blood tests. He was hospitalised for 3 weeks and we received the deavstating news that he had kidney failure. We had no idea why this had happened and was completley shocked. Until he had a biopsy, which was when he got his diagnosis of IgAN. We had never heard of this disease or what it entailed as they’re isn’t much awareness of it. We know at the moment there is no cure, and he currently has to do 8 hours of dialysis every night and wait for a kidney transplant. However there is a chance the disease can attack the new kidney. This is why I’ve chose to raise money for this charity by doing a 15km walk with my friend, to hopefully help get more research into this disease and one day find a cure! 🙏🏻💗

What is IgA nephropathy?

IgA nephropathy (IgAN) is a kidney disease that commonly appears for the first time in young adults and can lead to kidney failure with the requirement for lifelong dialysis or a kidney transplant. Worldwide IgAN is a common cause of kidney failure and it is estimated that globally 1 in 10 patients who need dialysis treatment have kidney failure because of IgAN. At present, there is no effective treatment for IgAN and while a kidney transplant can transform the lives of IgAN patients who are on dialysis there is the risk that the IgAN may recur in the transplant and lead to loss of the transplant.

The Leicester IgA Nephropathy Research Group

This is a partnership between the University of Leicester and University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust. The Group has been established for over 25 years and works closely with patients, charities, including Kidney Research UK, and the pharmaceutical industry.