Man diagnosed with kidney failure thought he had stomach bug
"Successful organ donation can transform chronically ill people with a high risk of dying and a poor quality of life, into healthy people," Mr Blackburn said.
Mr Blackburn's condition left him unable to walk to the end of his road and he was transferred from Musgrove Park Hospital in Taunton to renal experts at the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital for urgent dialysis treatment.He still undergoes four-hour dialysis sessions three times a week to flush his blood out.Mr Blackburn said: "I was having that treatment alongside chemotherapy and I found it really difficult to tolerate.""From being fit and healthy to being told your kidneys have failed and you've cancer which is not curable? It's been a lot," he added.
He joined the kidney transplant waiting list six months ago, but the average wait time for a donor is two to three years, according to the NHS.Mr Blackburn will begin the "Tour de Kidney" later, accompanied by his son and some friends. "The distance is not insignificant, but combined with the climbs involved - the hills will total about 14,500 ft (4,419 metres) - which is half-way up Everest - which causes me a bit of apprehension," Mr Blackburn said.The group is hoping to raise thousands of pounds through their efforts.
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BBC News
13 hours ago
- BBC News
Man diagnosed with kidney failure thought he had stomach bug
A man who was diagnosed with blood cancer and kidney failure is aiming to raise awareness of organ Blackburn thought he had a stomach bug when he fell ill over Christmas 2022 but tests revealed he had myeloma, a blood cancer formed in the bone marrow, and kidney Blackburn, from Wedmore in Somerset, underwent chemotherapy, a stem cell transplant and dialysis after his diagnosis in January 2023. Although his cancer is in remission, his kidney function has not 60-year-old keen cyclist is embarking on a 200-mile (322km) "Tour de Kidney" challenge spanning the Quantock and Blacktown hills later to raise money and awareness for Kidney Research UK. "Successful organ donation can transform chronically ill people with a high risk of dying and a poor quality of life, into healthy people," Mr Blackburn said. Mr Blackburn's condition left him unable to walk to the end of his road and he was transferred from Musgrove Park Hospital in Taunton to renal experts at the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital for urgent dialysis still undergoes four-hour dialysis sessions three times a week to flush his blood Blackburn said: "I was having that treatment alongside chemotherapy and I found it really difficult to tolerate.""From being fit and healthy to being told your kidneys have failed and you've cancer which is not curable? It's been a lot," he added. He joined the kidney transplant waiting list six months ago, but the average wait time for a donor is two to three years, according to the Blackburn will begin the "Tour de Kidney" later, accompanied by his son and some friends. "The distance is not insignificant, but combined with the climbs involved - the hills will total about 14,500 ft (4,419 metres) - which is half-way up Everest - which causes me a bit of apprehension," Mr Blackburn group is hoping to raise thousands of pounds through their efforts.
BBC News
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Scotsman
14-06-2025
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Glasgow-born charity leader receives OBE at Windsor Castle
Glasgow-born Sandra Currie, chief executive of national charity Kidney Research UK, officially received her OBE from HRH The Prince of Wales yesterday at Windsor Castle. Sign up to our daily newsletter – Regular news stories and round-ups from around Scotland direct to your inbox Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Sandra, who grew up in Drumchapel and trained as a psychiatric nurse at Gartnavel Royal Hospital, was named an Officer of the Order of the British Empire in the King's New Year Honours, in recognition of her services to people affected by kidney disease. Under Sandra's leadership for 12 years, the charity has achieved significant growth, investing more than £71 million into research over the past decade, working to combat kidney disease in areas of health inequality and to influence national policy to secure earlier diagnoses and accelerate access to life-saving treatments. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad With over 600,000 Scots estimated to be living with kidney disease, there is an urgent need for action to improve awareness and tackle the rapidly rising numbers of patients, which Sandra has championed throughout her tenure. Under Sandra's leadership for 12 years, the charity has achieved significant growth, investing more than £71 million into research over the past decade. 'It was a very special moment,' said Sandra. 'To represent the kidney community in such a setting was incredibly humbling. This honour helps raise the profile of a disease that affects one in ten people in the UK, can have devastating consequences for those who reach kidney failure, but is still overlooked. I'm grateful for the recognition, and more determined than ever to keep pushing for change.' Sandra continues to champion kidney health in Scotland and has worked closely with the Scottish Government, most recently through the charity's Scotland Action Plan for chronic kidney disease.
