My Red Socks Run for Kidney Health
This October, I’m going to Red Socks Run as life depends on it.
By running, walking, or riding 60km I want to raise awareness of the 60hrs that people affected by kidney disease need to spend on dialysis each month.
Some of my friends might wonder why this matters so much to me—it's because I used to suffer from Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD).
I was diagnosed with CKD at just 9 years old, and a later kidney biopsy confirmed it was IgA nephropathy. From that moment, my life changed completely. I had to take medication every day, visit the hospital regularly, and the biggest change was that I was told I couldn’t play any sports seriously. While I could still join P.E. at school, I wasn’t allowed to compete or push myself physically. I was too young to fully understand what was happening inside my body, but I knew enough to feel devastated.
CKD is a strange disease—it starts quietly, progresses silently, and often goes unnoticed until it’s advanced. It’s not the kind of illness where you're given just months to live, but it slowly erodes your body. Many people eventually need dialysis. And perhaps most frustratingly, there is no known cure. Once diagnosed, all you can do is try to stop it from getting worse.
Then, my friends might wonder again, why I look healthy and can play frisbee now.
Honestly, it feels like a miracle. While there is no definitive treatment for CKD, some therapies show effectiveness — and I was lucky enough to respond well to one of them. At 16, I had surgery, and gradually returned to a healthier life. Then started frisbee at age of 19. But honestly I was really scared of playing so hard at first as I knew intense physical activity could strain the kidneys. Even now, I get nervous before my annual urine test. Thankfully, everything has remained stable since the surgery.
Of course, I wish I had never been diagnosed with CKD. But this disease taught me something really important for my life; our lifetime is limited. As long as I have a healthy body and mind, there’s no reason to hesitate—I should take on challenges and live fully.
I had been reluctant to speak up about my disease because I was probably afraid that people around me would treat me differently. But now, I’m proud to share my story—because I know my friends will support me, not pity me.
Please donate to my page to raise funds for research into life-saving treatments, and provide support to individuals and families affected by kidney failure.
YOU can make a difference – Join me and help create a future where kidney health is a priority for all Australians.
