Irish Kidney Association, Jack Ellis

I will be hosting an event on the 27th of February with the Irish Kidney Association. A 5 a side tournament will be held in St Finbarrs GAA astro from 1-5 and a night in Moks Bar Bandon Road after the football. I want to raise awareness for organ donors.

My name is Jack Ellis I’m 19 years old. I was diagnosed with kidney disease in 2011. It all started with me feeling tired and getting terrible headaches which in turn affected every area of my life from then on. I spent 2 months in Temple Street Hospital in Dublin. When I turned sixteen I was placed under the care  of Professor Plant and his team in the C U H. I feel really lucky to have such a caring person in the form of Professor Plant taking care of me. 

Kidney disease is no picnic as it affects every aspect of life, like schooling, social life, diet, relationships and sporting life. 

My life changed so much from day one to now.  Kidney disease affected my schooling as I missed so much time in school so I was always playing catch up which is really hard especially when I would also be exhausted but saying that I really loved school and my friends. Your diet and socialising is slightly restricted as you have to think about everything you eat and drink which can be quite exhausting. It’s hard being a teenager with kidney disease as all you want is just to be like your friends. I think I’m lucky to get to nineteen as my parents were told that I would need a kidney by the time I was fourteen. I’m now a first year student in UCC and again my college life may be affected. Now that my kidneys are at end stage the journey of finding a donor begins. I’m excited to think that I will have a wonderful life when that happens I’m also apprehensive and worried about the journey as I know there will be many twists in the road ahead. Being a teenager one doesn’t have a lot of patience with ill health but I’m trying to stay positive as I can be for the future and filled with hope for the future.