Hello, my name is Megan.

Every day young people like me fight devastating kidney disease. We have to undergo intensive treatment every week while waiting for a transplant. At the same time, we also have to try and manage the relentless demands of life from exam stress to finding a job. It’s a constant struggle and often we have nowhere to turn, to get the practical help and emotional support we need.  

I was just 13 years old when I was diagnosed with stage 4 kidney disease.

My mum took me to the GP when I started feel really tired. I was having mood swings, and craving sugar. I put it down to my teenage hormones being all over the place. It was a complete shock when we were told I had stage 4 kidney disease, and I was at serious risk of going into renal failure and needing dialysis treatment.

I was in and out of hospital for the next couple of years until I had my transplant. It came at the worst possible time; I had to sit my GCSEs in a hospital isolation room. I missed out on my school prom and didn’t get the chance to say goodbye to my friends on our last day.

For a while, my life was back to normal, aside from a couple of regular check-ups at the hospital.

Until last year, when my biggest fear happened. My body started to reject my donor kidney.

It all felt so unfair. I was 21 now, I’d landed my dream job, was renting my own place, and living life to the full. Suddenly it was back to attending long appointments and draining weekly treatment.

I have a four-hour dialysis treatment, three times a week to keep me alive, but ironically, it’s also ruined my life. 

I was let go from my job, had to sell my car, and move back in with my parents, it was devastating. I’ve completely lost my independence. I didn’t know who to turn to.

The team at the Leeds Hospitals Renal Young Adult and Transition Service are great. They do everything they can to support me, but they have to focus on my medical needs first. They're not trained to support me or others like me with all the other aspects of life, and challenges it brings. Sometimes it can feel all too much. 

A donation today can mean others like me won't have to struggle alone. 

It would be great if there was someone on the Young Adult team that had the expertise to support us, give practical advice and support on relationships, finances, housing, work and education. 

It would give me hope that I could get my independence back.

There are so young people like me with kidney disease that can and want to be independent and live a full and happy life. But just need extra support to help overcome some of their worries, struggles and challenges.

Your generous support could give me access to the one-to-one support of a Youth Support Worker. An experienced and trained person on the team that could help me plan my future. They  could give me the practical advice and emotional support I need.

I don’t just want to survive I want to live my best life possible. 

Can you give £40 today, or whatever you can afford today to help young people like me get the support we desperately need? It would be amazing to be able to support other patients with kidney disease, but I can only do this with the support of people like you. 

Donate to our Transplant Fundraising Appeal Today