On the 9th March 2024 our 21 year old son's world changed forever. Ben crashed into Acute Renal Failure with just 3% kidney function, and was admitted to Bournemouth Intensive Care Unit. He had an emergency neck line fitted and was put on an emergency dialysis filter. He was later transferred to the specialist renal unit at Dorchester Hospital for a month, where he underwent intensive kidney dialysis and had multiple blood transfusions. He was critically ill. After 10 days in hospital things got even worse when his body started to shut down and his liver started to fail. We nearly lost him and it was the darkest time of our lives. Thank goodness our boy put up a fight and slowly his liver started to recover. Our wonderful NHS, saved his life, stabilised him and got him into a dialysis routine. He had a chest line fitted to replace the neck line and he has also undergone surgery to create a fistula in his arm which will eventually replace his chest line for dialysis.
Acute Renal Failure is VERY rare in someone as young as Ben and unfortunately the Consultants don't really know why this has happened. After multiple tests and a very distressing kidney biopsy the cause is not obvious. We have had a diagnosis of a rare form of vasculitis called Takayasu Arteritis, but the renal consultants are not in complete agreement on this diagnosis.
It has been the most awful time for Ben and our whole family. He is so young to be going through this, he has been dealt the cruelest of cards. His young life has been taken away from him. He can't do any of the normal things a young person likes to do. He can't travel, he can't enjoy a night out with friends, he can't go to work. He is on a cycle of 'Eat, Sleep, Dialysis, Repeat' Our hope for Ben is a Kidney Transplant, which will be his only chance of a 'normal' life. Until that time Ben has to continue with grueling sessions of kidney dialysis, 4 hour sessions, three times a week, even on his birthday he was at dialysis. Dialysis is very tough on the body, and he is left extremely fatigued and unwell which is a terrible feeling for such a young person. He is on a daily fluid restriction of 1.5 liters a day, and has to follow a strict low potassium and low phosphate diet. Not the best when you realise how much phosphate is in a bottle of beer! His chest line makes him feel self conscious and vulnerable and makes sleeping uncomfortable. We want to support him in keeping his life as normal as possible within the physical restrictions he has. Supporting him to keep his car on the road so he can get to dialysis independently and helping him to continue supporting his beloved AFC Bournemouth. The football in particular is the one thing that takes his mind off all the terrible things he is having to deal with. If he is well enough, he hopes to get to as many games as possible this season, as he missed so many last season due to being in hospital.
We would be so grateful for any donations, however big or small. He has been through so much and had so much taken away from him by this cruel illness.
Thank you for reading this. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts if you can donate, and if you cant then that's totally fine. We would be so grateful for a share of this link on your socials.
Please note that if you are lovely enough to donate, Crowdfunder add a 'tip' which goes towards various good causes (none of any tip you pay goes to Ben) YOU DO NOT HAVE TO PAY A TIP, just click 'ENTER CUSTOM AMOUNT' and adjust to £0 and you will then just pay your chosen donation amount.