A Chance at Life for George

In 2013, at the age of 11, my nephew George was diagnosed with Membranoproliferative Glomerulonephritis (MPGN).

MPGN is a rare progressive disease where the body’s immune system attacks the kidneys. After a long, brave battle to save them, George lost both his kidneys to the disease. George’s life was thereafter fully dependent on a dialysis machine.

For the following 3 years, George’s life involved long commutes 3 times a week to hospital to receive 4 hours of haemodialysis, endless injections and medications, all with inevitable side effects.

Hope came in 2016 when George received a kidney donation. Despite this, he still required constant hospital monitoring and support. Sadly, 4 years later, George’s new kidney failed and had to be removed and he returned to dialysis.

MPGN robbed George of much of his childhood, his adolescence and now his young adulthood. He missed out on so much of typical teenage life experiences and long periods of serious illness meant George left school with very few qualifications and a limited capacity to secure emploment.

On 28th December 2023, George received the news that a new donor had been found, giving him hope for a new chance at living a normal life.

At the time of writing, George has been in hospital for 114 days. As well as serious complications from the transplant, such as a ‘sleepy leaky’ kidney, George has had numerous medical challenges including sepsis, a persistent nasty wound infection, a bowel obstruction, chest infections and life-threatening severe pancreatitis. He's had numerous investigations, medications and treatment interventions. He's been to theatre ten times. He’s required oxygen therapy and been fed through his veins. The doctors discovered that the new kidney was damaged and tragically had to be removed.

George’s life is now sadly once again governed by the trials and tribulations of dialysis to keep him alive.

Words can’t describe the extent of the trauma, pain, anxiety and fear that George has endured in his young life, especially in the past few months. Despite it all, George faces this adversity with spirit, strength, resilience, determination and unwavering courage.

George is a loving, caring and compassionate young man with a great sense of humility and a wicked sense of humour. He has a cheeky charm which never fails to bring a smile to your face.

Despite not having kidneys to call his own, his heart in contrast is as big as the ocean. His capacity to love and to be loved is off the scale. He touches the hearts of everyone who knows him.

George is a son, a brother, a grandson, a nephew, a cousin and an uncle and as a family, we are grateful every day to still

have him in our lives.

George is still very unwell, yet he remains undeterred and optimistic for his future. He is determined to get better and pursue his dreams of learning to drive, owning a car and hopefully one day becoming a qualified motor mechanic.

In George’s own words “just to be able to have a half decent life, even for a wee while, would be a dream”.

Of all the people I know, I can't think of anyone more deserving of a chance at life than George and that is why I am reaching out to ask for support from the wider community.

If you have anything at all to spare, please donate today and help George to “have a half decent life, even for a wee while”.

Thank you in anticipation of your kind generosity.