Update Magazine Spring 2019 by Kidney Research UK

Spring 2020 Issue 21

THE MAGAZINE FROM KIDNEY RESEARCH UK

INTERVIEW WITH SIR PETER RATCLIFFE, NOBEL PRIZE WINNER PAGE 04

Genes may help to explain why kidney stones come back PAGE 07

ITVâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Nina Nannar; from the red carpet to the renal ward PAGE 08

2020 BRIDGES WALKS SEE PAGE 12

Diary dates 2020

Welcome Welcome to Update magazine! You are probably reading this shortly before World Kidney Day, on Thursday 12 March. This year, I’m pleased that the charity is working even more closely with other major kidney charities and professional organisations on an exciting campaign to mark the day. The campaign is aiming to address some basic issues, and to improve the understanding of what the kidneys do and why they are so vital. Working together means our reach is far greater and will demand more attention. The article on page 3 describes how you can get involved. Awareness days like World Kidney Day are important opportunities for charities like ours to be seen by more people. Rare Disease Awareness Day takes place on Friday 28 February. On this day we will be taking to social media to share a very striking letter written by one of our supporters, Gareth. He’s addressed it to his rare kidney disease – here’s a flavour:

The Vitality Big Half – London

1 March – Run 13 miles

World Kidney Day – Everywhere

12 March – Raise awareness

Sublime Peterborough Marathon – Peterborough

5 April – Run 26 miles

Greater Manchester Marathon – Manchester 5 April – Run 26 miles

Virgin London Marathon – London

26 April – Run 26 miles

Pint of Science – Various locations

11-13 May – Learn about our research

Dinner at Swan, Shakespeare’s Globe – London

19 May – Wine, dine, enjoy

Edinburgh 10K – Edinburgh

23 May – Run 10K

Edinburgh Half/Marathon – Edinburgh

24 May – Run 13 or 26 miles

Vitality London 10K – London

25 May – Run 10K

Charity Golf Day

1 June – Play 18 holes

“I feel angry because you came into my life and destroyed my future plans and aspirations. You tore my hopes and dreams apart. I failed the adoption medical because of you. That was the cruellest blow you dealt me.”

Tour of Cambridgeshire – Cambridgeshire

Gareth’s letter reminds us that, whilst we are making good progress – as so much of the content in this issue of Update shows – we have a long way to go.

19 July – Walk 7 miles

Thank you for your continuing support.

7 June – Cycle 70 or 100 miles

Newcastle Bridges Walk – Newcastle 14 June – Walk 7 miles

London Bridges Walk – London Prudential Ride London 100 – London 16 August – Cycle 100 miles

Tour O’ The Borders – Peebles 6 September – Cycle 56 or 74 miles

Glasgow Bridges Walk – Glasgow

Sandra Currie, Chief Executive

6 September – Walk 7 miles

Great Bristol Half Marathon 27 September – Run 13 miles

Contact the editorial team Kidney Research UK Nene Hall, Lynch Wood Park Peterborough PE2 6FZ Tel: 0300 303 1100 pressoffice@kidneyresearchuk.org www.kidneyresearchuk.org

Simplyhealth Great North Run – Newcastle

15-18 October – Learn about our research

Charity registration numbers: 252892 (England and Wales) SC 039245 (Scotland)

Various dates – Cycle 315 miles

13 September – Run 13 miles

New Scientist Live – London

London to Paris – London/Paris Skydiving – Various locations

Jump from a plane – St Andrews – 9 May; Swansea – 20 June; Honiton – 4 July; Peterborough – 5 Sept; Durham – 19 Sept

SEE PAGES 12-13

Charity registration numbers: N OUR ILS O ETA(England and Wales) FOR MORE D252892 SC 039245 TS IN LONDON, N(Scotland) E V E LK A W S E G ID BR GLASGOW NEWCASTLE AND

Bungee jumping – Various locations Various dates – Jump from a building

3 Peaks Challenge – Various locations

Various dates – Climb 10,000 feet

NEWS // P03

Joining marathon effort just four months after kidney donation Whilst most of us have been safely tucked up in our warm houses, Geoff Walker’s preparations for the Virgin Money London Marathon over the cold winter have involved even more care than trying to avoid slipping on icy pavements. That’s because this landmark annual event takes place just four months since Geoff donated his kidney to a stranger. The 63-year-old from Bridgend started considering donating his kidney after his daughter developed kidney problems due to Sjogren’s syndrome. Thankfully, her situation improved and she doesn’t need a transplant, at least for now. But Geoff thought he could help someone else anyway – and in fact has ended up helping even more families. Geoff’s kidney has gone to someone who needed a transplant and whose friend or family member was also willing to donate a kidney. This friend or family member’s kidney has in turn gone to another recipient in need, whose friend or family member has also donated a kidney to another stranger. This chain of donations means patients whose loved ones aren’t a match for them can still

Risk calculator helps GPs predict which kidney disease patients need hospital care A new study we co-funded has discovered a way to help GPs predict which people with kidney disease are more likely to go on to develop kidney failure and need dialysis or a kidney transplant in the future.

Geoff and son Andy

find a kidney, and their loved ones can still help others, and people without a donating friend or family member can still benefit. “I will be using my donor status to shamelessly raise awareness!” says Geoff, who is running with his son Andy. At the time of writing his recovery was going well, and their fundraising was too. Louise Morris from our Supporter Care team, who looks after all our runners, couldn’t be more excited about the prospects for #TEAMKIDNEY in 2020. “Geoff is amazing,” she says. “All our 68 London marathon runners put so much into their preparations, often getting up at the crack of dawn to fit their training in, as well as coming up with ingenious ways of raising their sponsorship. It’s their passion that drives them and many of them have incredible stories. I’ve loved speaking with Geoff who has already made an astonishing sacrifice.”

Inspired by Geoff’s story? You can donate to his fundraising page here: https://bit.ly/2Sjky9w or cheer him and all our runners on at one of our cheering stations along the route, just email: supportercare@kidneyresearchuk.org Why not sign up for your own challenge? Visit www.kidneyresearchuk.org/events

World Kidney Day is almost here For 2020’s World Kidney Day, the major kidney organisations in the UK are working together to raise awareness about the vital role our kidneys play. Our new campaign #KidneysMatter – The BIG topic everyone’s ignoring will show how important kidneys are, what can happen when they go wrong and how to keep them healthy and reduce the risk of kidney disease. #KidneysMatter features a big yellow kidney – which is hard to ignore. You’ll see it in a range of materials which you can share on social media, and use to run awareness events and as a talking point with your friends.

Keep up to date and access the materials by following us on social media and checking out: www.worldkidneyday.co.uk

Dr Rupert Major and the team at the University of Leicester discovered the Kidney Failure Risk Equation (KFRE) calculator could help doctors plan better care for their patients. It can spot which patients need to be referred to hospital because their kidney disease is more serious, and who can be cared for by their GP. Planning care means patients receive the treatment they need sooner and are more likely to avoid ‘crash landing’ into kidney failure – urgently needing treatment such as dialysis without the time to prepare. They are also more likely to have a better treatment outcome. The KFRE uses data that doctors routinely collect for patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) – a blood test that measures kidney function (eGFR), and a urine test measuring the amount of protein, plus age and gender – to predict the risk of developing kidney failure. In the study, published in the journal PLOS Medicine, Dr Major and his team discovered that after adjusting the KFRE for use in primary care, the calculator is able to predict someone’s risk of needing dialysis or a kidney transplant in the next two or five years. The study will enable more efficient referrals and it will allow GPs to identify patients who will need dialysis or a transplant in the future earlier, so they can receive more personalised care and ongoing information and support about their condition.

We hope using this calculator will lead to earlier and better care, whilst reducing unnecessary referrals and the associated emotional strain they might cause to patients and their families. Dr Rupert Major

To make a gift to Kidney Research UK call: 0300 303 1100

INTERVIEW // P04

Speaking with a N BEL PRIZE winner

Time and time again it’s proven that a small step, a small gain in knowledge can be used by other people to build a network which ultimately helps patients, and helps transform medicine...

Photo © Courtesy of Ludwig Cancer Research

INTERVIEW // P05

There was a flurry of excitement in the kidney world when nephrologist Professor Sir Peter Ratcliffe was announced as joint winner of the 2019 Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine for discovering how cells sense and adapt to oxygen availability. Sir Peter was a Kidney Research UK trustee in the 1990s, so we were delighted to speak with him since he received his prestigious award...

‘

n demand’ was how Sir Peter was described before his big win, with huge responsibilities as both Director of the Target Discovery Institute at the University of Oxford and Director of Clinical Research at Francis Crick Institute, London. Until recently he had continued to practice as a nephrologist and general physician in the NHS. Since collecting the Nobel prize in Stockholm, his time is even more precious, and we squeeze into his office keeping a wary eye on the clock. Our interview begins by going back in time to when Sir Peter became involved with Kidney Research UK in the 1990s. He applied for and received funding from the charity for two projects, including the first work he and his colleagues did on production of the hormone erythropoietin, which eventually led to his major discovery (more of that later). He also became Chair of the charity’s research grants committee and influenced the charity’s direction as a trustee. “It was quite an exciting time,” he recalls. “The economy was quite buoyant in the

1990s so we were all ambitious that more money would come to the charity – and indeed it did. That enabled us to set up the first fellowships, usually to young people embarking on a career in kidney medicine and kidney research. It was very gratifying to be able to do that, to make some slightly larger awards too, and also to take on broader initiatives. For instance, I was involved in the UK glomerulonephritis bank which was a new initiative that ultimately provided some genetic insights into kidney disease.”

Passion for discovery Reflecting back, Peter identifies a big challenge in science communication that was relevant then and still is today. “It is important that science explains itself,” he says. “There has been some difficulty in really getting across the message that knowledge builds on knowledge in unexpected ways. And scientists must

be able to explain their research in an accessible way, both to the scientific community, and the public.” “Politicians, the public, anyone not directly involved in the research process, not unreasonably, believe that research should be strongly directed towards a specific goal,” he explains. “Of course, if you can see that goal is achievable, then that’s where that research should go. But often you can’t see the immediate connection. And yet time and time again it’s proven that a small step, a small gain in knowledge can be used by other people to build a network which ultimately helps patients, and helps transform medicine over the twentieth and twenty first century beyond all recognition. And most of those advances were not in any way foreseen when the original work started.” Sir Peter is frustrated by the constraints of language as much as the perspectives of other people. “We lack a descriptor for what we’re doing as scientists,” he comments. “Curiositydriven research implies a slightly casual element, which is certainly not the case.”

Staff members Maria Tennant and Rosie Loft with Sir Peter Ratcliffe and Keep it Renal podcaster Dr Carl May

To make a gift to Kidney Research UK call: 0300 303 1100

INTERVIEW // P06

What’s next? Our research is passion-led research, passion for discovery. The people who do it are totally committed to that discovery process...

Photo © Courtesy of Ludwig Cancer Research

“Our research is passion-led research, passion for discovery. The people who do it are totally committed to that discovery process, in the same way artists are totally committed to ballet, or music or performance arts. Good scientists are passionate about discovery and in the back of their minds they may have the idea that the discovery will have some effect on society. But often their drive forward is simply to acquire knowledge.”

Why is oxygen sensing important in the body? All cells in the body need the right amount of oxygen to survive. Oxygen starvation is involved in many different diseases.

What did Sir Peter and colleagues discover? When our blood has too little oxygen, signals are sent by the kidneys using the hormone erythropoietin (EPO). This boosts red blood cell production, and the red blood cells carry more oxygen. Sir Peter and his colleagues discovered that all cells of the human body are equipped to respond to low oxygen levels.

How could this knowledge help patients? Since this discovery was made, this work has revealed new ways to tackle conditions such as cancer, anaemia and heart disease.

Getting interested in blood circulation in the kidney The journey of Sir Peter’s own research and its subsequent success is testament to this quest for knowledge, and an example that the research path is not always a direct one. His original interest in kidney circulation was driven by his desire to find out why the kidney suffers during acute kidney injury.

Anyone affected by or connected to someone with kidney disease, will no doubt want to know how and when this research might help. While optimistic about the potential that lies ahead, particularly with anaemia, Sir Peter is plain speaking. “I have to be bluntly honest. When I started this work I did not know how it would benefit patients,” he explains. “This is an unusual piece of research that has made several therapies possible – two in late-phase clinical trials and one already in the clinic. But it’s still not clear whether the one that’s in the clinic will be a blockbuster, transforming the pre-dialysis or dialysis treatment of anaemia or not. Research just doesn’t move quickly.” For all his passion and expertise, Sir Peter has an appealing frankness, combined with a naturally modest inclination and a dislike of exaggerated claims. The Nobel Prize itself shows the significant progress his research has made. And time will tell what further difference this body of knowledge will make. On our way out we notice the pink splash of ‘It’s a girl!’ banners decorating his otherwise academic office. His first grandchild arrived in the same month as the Nobel Prize, both very proud moments. When we ask Sir Peter which was the more exciting event, he answer wryly: “Well, there are more grandfathers in the world than…”

“I failed to solve that problem, but it got me thinking about the very unusual blood vessel arrangement in the kidney which leaves the centre of the kidney with a very low oxygen level,” he explains. “I thought it must have something to do with the precise control of blood haemoglobin levels that the normal kidney achieves. I wanted to look into that mechanism because I thought it would be fascinating to find it out.” “Of course, we subsequently realised it had importance beyond the kidney and that oxygen sensing was also the perfect drug target.” The big discovery itself took place in 2001, and it is etched in Sir Peter’s mind: “I remember to the minute my colleague burst into the office and saying ‘here’s your gene!’ Sure enough, he was right.” “It is a slightly surreal feeling now that the big accolades for the work have come some years later.”

You can hear the full interview with Sir Peter Ratcliffe by tuning into Keep It Renal, a new podcast series from Kidney Research UK and Dr Carl May, researcher at Bristol University. Log onto: www.kidneyresearchuk.org/research

KIDNEY STONES // P07

Genes may help to explain why kidney st nes come back New research published in Nature Communications and co-funded by Kidney Research UK has revealed new genetic areas linked to kidney stone disease.

She set out to examine the genetic r Sarah Howles at the University of Oxford has make-up (or ‘genome’) of 12,123 identified that two of people who have previously these areas are close had kidney stones and 416,928 to genes that control how our healthy people. Your genome bodies use the ‘sunshine vitamin refers to your whole set of – vitamin D – and calcium. We’d genes, and you have around need more research to prove it, 20,000, so this was a huge task. Dr Sarah Howles but it suggests some people with a “To do particular genetic make-up should be this, we carried cautious when using vitamin D supplements. out a genome-wide Kidney stones are common and affect around association study, one in ten people. They’re small crystals made or GWAS, to identify from salts and minerals that form inside your differences or similarities kidney – some are as small as a grain of sand but between people with others can be as large as a few centimetres. kidney stones and healthy people without,” If a kidney stone moves towards explains Sarah. your bladder you can experience enormous pain and discomfort. People who have kidney stones also have more chance of developing chronic kidney disease in the future. The exact cause of kidney stones is hard to pin down. They’re much more likely to form if you aren’t drinking enough fluids or if you have certain medical conditions. But kidney stones often run in families.

Hunting for genes “Family history is one of the few clear factors causing kidney stones, and we wanted to work out what the common genetic factors putting people at risk of kidney stones were,” says Sarah.

We found 20 areas of the genome were linked to kidney stones – seven of which have never been identified before to have this link. The next step is to identify the genes in those areas and what happens when faults creep in.

Sunshine vitamin and kidney disease One of the gene areas the research team discovered is linked to how your body breaks down vitamin D. You need vitamin D to absorb any calcium you take in from your food, which is essential for healthy bones, teeth and muscle. The genes that the GWAS picked out were heavily involved in how the kidneys work and how your body balances the amount of calcium. The results suggest that vitamin D breakdown may play a role in kidney stone formation. “For most of us, taking vitamin D supplements is fine, and indeed many of us are told to take vitamin D as we spend more time inside than out,” says Sarah. “But our research shows that a ‘one message fits all’ approach may not be right. In a specific group of people with kidney stones, it might be a bit more complicated, and we need to do more research to prove how vitamin D metabolism influences how kidney stones form.”

MIN VITA

To make a gift to Kidney Research UK call: 0300 303 1100

KIDNEY TRANSPLANTS // P08

From the red carpet to the renal ward ITV correspondent and celebrity interviewer Nina Nannar has just celebrated the first anniversary of her husband Steve’s kidney transplant – his kidneyversary. She tells us about their family’s journey.

It’s the little things that mean so much, that remind us that the mundane is special.

KIDNEY TRANSPLANTS // P09

t was a year ago. I had just been on ITV News at Ten, talking to Peter Jackson, film director. My husband is from New Zealand I told him, and then ensued a long Kiwi-related chat, which also took in the kidney transplant my husband Steve had had in Auckland three decades earlier. It was just one of those chats I have with most Kiwis I meet.

s Celebrating Steve’ kidneyversary

Steve had been born with a reflux problem, where the flow of urine in the body goes the wrong way. It’s relatively easy Steve shortly after his transplant to detect and treat in children these days. But with Steve, back then, it was undetected. Anyway, “too much information” I had joked with the charming I hurried home, and even as I sat on the first and gracious Mr Jackson. train back to Norwich, the consultant at It proved to be something of a prescient Addenbrooke’s was on the line from beside conversation. In the early hours of the next my husband’s hospital bed. Having waited day as I slept in London and my family in this long for a kidney, two suitable organs Norfolk, my phone went. It was my bleary had become available. It was down to Steve eyed, confused husband, telling me: and I to decide which to go for. “Errr, Addenbrooke’s have been on the line. I remember sobbing into the phone: They think they’ve got me a kidney.” “But I don’t know anything about kidneys!”, The kidney that had been gifted to my much to the bemusement of my fellow train husband as a gravely ill teenager had started passengers. Whichever you choose will be dying several years ago. the right one for you, the kindly consultant told us. We had tried to do what we could to de-stress life. I work in a high pressure newsroom, so In the end, Steve had his transplant. We were it was going to be hugely challenging for all too aware that only through someone’s me. But for him and our daughter, Norwich death had my husband been gifted another became our home. And that dying kidney kidney. This stays with us every day. seemed to stagger on, until Steve was Nothing is taken for granted. When he was out informed that dialysis would be necessary. of hospital and feeling stronger, we attempted He wept – he rarely does – remembering the something that had been too bothersome three years he had spent in New Zealand, and complicated before. We went out for hooked up to a machine at home, four days a dinner and then straight to the cinema. We week. His beloved surfing was on hold. And didn’t go home in between to dialyse. he was reliant on his parents to help him. Not the teenage life he had envisaged. Those memories became reality once more. For two years we’d get regular deliveries of the solution he had to drain into his body, at four hourly intervals. Home life was built around this regime. TV programmes halted. Car journeys punctuated with a clean place for him to hook himself up. Nights out carved into three and a half hour intervals. Tons of tablets, medicine boxes everywhere. Our diets changed. Days when he had to run from the dining table to the bathroom to vomit. This was our normal life as I commuted between Norwich, where I had to learn nursing skills and medical know-how, and London, when I might be sitting down with Meryl Streep, or heading out to LA for the Oscars. A life of contrasts. Until that phone call.

It could have been the worst film ever made, it wouldn’t have mattered. We couldn’t stop smiling. We got on a plane to go on holiday. Even the drab food on board tasted so good! We spent summer days up on the Norfolk coast with friends in a caravan! No need to panic about finding sterile areas. It’s the little things that mean so much, that remind us that the mundane is special. That each day in our family is a gift. That someone opted to carry a donor card, a decision that means my daughter has got her old Dad back. And I have got another great story to share with Peter Jackson when I next see him!

We were all too aware that only through someone’s death had my husband been gifted another kidney. This stays with us every day.

Nina Nannar with her husband, Steve

To make a gift to Kidney Research UK call: 0300 303 1100

RESEARCH ROUND UP // P10

Spotlight on… our research Our scientists are working to find new ways to understand kidney disease better and how to prevent, diagnose or treat it. Here’s a snapshot of some of the research we are funding right now…

Investigating what makes kidney disease run in families

The role of immune cells in kidney formation before birth

We know chronic kidney disease clusters in families, partly due to the genetic information passed down between generations. Research has identified more than one hundred sites in human DNA where carrying a variation in the genetic code puts people at a higher risk of developing kidney disease.

Kidneys have a very complicated structure. The template is laid down before we’re born, but sometimes this template goes wrong in the developing embryo, and babies are born with kidneys that haven’t formed properly. Dr David Long and team at the UCL Institute of Child Health are investigating the complex processes that underpin how kidneys develop.

Professor Maciej Tomaszewski and his team at the University of Manchester have already uncovered that around one third of these variants raise kidney risk by affecting certain kidney genes. They now want to understand how this happens. This new funding means the team can delve into a research bank of 500 kidney samples collected by Professor Tomaszewski and scientists across the world. Using state-of-the-art laboratory and computer analysis they will investigate whether the ‘risky’ variants affect the kidney effects because of chemical changes that influence the DNA around them. This detailed analysis will help us to understand how and why kidney disease can run so strongly in families. It could point to new ways to help people with ‘high risk DNA’ to beat the odds and stave off kidney problems, through targeted medicines or lifestyle changes.

This research is funded by a research project grant of £160,628

Macrophages are a type of cell in our immune system which ‘gobble’ up foreign particles in response to infection and inflammation. Macrophages are also abundant in the developing kidneys, but their role there isn’t clear. To find out how macrophages contribute to kidney formation, this team will map where these cells are present in normal mouse and human kidney development and whether this changes in mice when the kidneys don’t develop correctly. Finally, they will observe what happens when they remove macrophages from developing kidneys in the lab. This project will begin to define the role macrophages play in normal kidney development before birth. It may also begin to reveal clues about ways to manipulate macrophages to prevent kidney defects that can develop before birth.

This research is funded by a paediatric research project grant of £153,536

RESEARCH ROUND UP // P11

Can a new ultrasound technique What is the scale of childhood improve kidney disease assessment? kidney failure in the UK?

Our kidneys’ main job is to clean our blood. But they also need a blood supply of their own, to keep them working and healthy. This is called ‘perfusion’ of the kidneys, and we know that kidney perfusion falls in acute kidney injury (AKI) – a sudden upset to the kidney which is not necessarily a physical injury. AKI affects around 1.5 per cent of the UK population each year and can be life-threatening. At the moment there is no practical way to measure kidney perfusion. Dr Nicholas Selby and his team at Nottingham University are looking at a new type of ultrasound scan called CEUS. This scan does not involve radiation, and can be performed at the bedside. First, the team will test whether CEUS can accurately measure kidney perfusion in 20 healthy volunteers, by comparing it with the gold standard method of MRI scanning. If it can, they will test if CEUS can help to care for patients with AKI. They will compare CEUS measures with the kidney function recovery in hospital, and then again three months later.

The UK Renal Registry is a national database that provides a detailed picture of the prevalence and treatment of kidney diseases across the country. The information enables vital research to improve the quality and consistency of care for patients. But there is an important gap. The registry doesn’t currently contain information about children in the UK who have kidney failure and not receiving treatment in the form of dialysis or kidney transplantation. Sometimes doctors and families agree that it is not in the child’s best interest to treat them, and they are given ‘conservative care’. This is non-dialysis support including palliative care until the end of their life. In the UK, we do not know how many children this affects, what kidney conditions they have, whether these children differ from those who receive treatment, or the reasons behind conservative care. Dr Lucy Plumb at the Renal Registry aims to address that.

Results from this research will reveal if CEUS has the potential to help guide the care of patients with AKI.

By understanding the scale and nature of childhood kidney failure in the UK, we may be able to improve the access to the right care for every child and help inform decision-making for families in the future.

This research is funded by a research project grant of £148,277

This research is funded by a paediatric research project grant of £26,806 To make a gift to Kidney Research UK call: 0300 303 1100

BRIDGES WALK // P12

HELP US

bridge the gap between kidney disease and cure Two of our supporters explain why you should sign up to our Bridges Walk events this summer and help us to walk all over kidney disease.

ring along your family and friends for a fun day out, strolling past the iconic sights and landmarks of Newcastle, London, and Glasgow. You will be joined by hundreds of fellow supporters â&#x20AC;&#x201C; all united in the desire to raise as much money as possible to improve the lives of kidney patients, faster and make breakthroughs in kidney research, sooner.

BRIDGES WALK // P13

Meeting like-minded people “It’s an awesome event and it’s really good fun,” says David Black who travelled down from his Warwickshire home with his partner Kerry, his mother-in-law Kay and three friends to take part in last year’s London Bridges Walk.

Team Clara Moretti

Clara Moretti and mum, Dinah

Giving something back

David Black

“Initially I wasn’t quite sure if I was going to be able to walk the entire seven-mile route because the event was just six months after my kidney transplant. But I did do it and it gave me a great sense of achievement. “That’s the beauty of the walk – it’s open to everyone; you just do whatever you can manage and you take rests whenever you want. I met one elderly guy there who was on dialysis and for me that was remarkable. When I was on dialysis a flight of stairs would have been a challenge and there he was, doing the walk. We also met some people who had lost family members to kidney disease and others who were working to help find a cure – it was an amazing experience.” David was diagnosed with acute renal failure in 2016, caused by Goodpasture’s disease. He now wants to offer help and support to other people affected by the same rare condition.

“The best thing about the London Bridges Walk was seeing people with kidney disease living their lives and being so positive”, says northeast Londoner Clara Moretti-Greene, whose mum Dina received a double kidney transplant just weeks before the walk. “We all had different stories to tell but we all had something in common too and we all came together to make a difference. It was a really uplifting event and I can’t wait to do it again this year. “Mum has a rare genetic condition called primary hyperoxaluria 1(PH1). It caused her kidneys to suddenly fail in 2017 and forced her onto immediate dialysis. I had hoped to donate one of my kidneys to her but when this proved to be impossible I decided to focus on raising awareness about kidney disease and, along with my partner Daniel Palmer, my brother Robert and his wife Zara, got a team of friends together to do the walk. “There were 32 of us altogether. We did it to give something back for the care and treatment Mum has received but also to keep reminding people about the need for more kidney research. If we all donate just a little bit of money; we can change people’s lives.”

“We definitely intend to do another Bridges Walk, maybe in Glasgow or Newcastle next time,” says David. “You get to share a great experience with friendly, like-minded people and you get to raise money for kidney research too – so why wouldn’t you?”

That’s the beauty of the walk – it’s open to everyone; you just do whatever you can manage and you take rests whenever you want. David Black

Reserve your place on a Bridges Walk today

If we all donate just a little bit of money; we can change people’s lives. Clara Moretti

TOP FUNDRAISING TIPS Clara and David have raised thousands of pounds for kidney research. Here are their top fundraising tips. Be visible – set up a JustGiving page so people can find out why you are doing a Bridges Walk and make a donation. Be social – share details about your Bridges Walk, JustGiving page and fundraising target on all your social media platforms. Be vocal – tell all your workmates about the walk and ask your company to support your fundraising efforts. Get your friends to spread the word at their workplaces too.

SIGN UP FOR JUST £5* ACE: AND RESERVE YOUR PL Newcastle Bridges Walk Sunday 14 June London Bridges Walk Sunday 19 July Glasgow Bridges Walk Sunday 6 September Kids go free and well-behaved dogs on leads are welcome too! Each walk will include an alternative, accessible one-two mile route, fabulous food stalls and entertainment. As part of #TEAMKIDNEY, you’ll receive a Kidney Research UK T-shirt, a fundraising pack full of tips and ideas, and support from our dedicated team every step of the way. Register now at: www.kidneyresearchuk.org/bridgeswalks * Time limited offer

To make a gift to Kidney Research UK call: 0300 303 1100

HEALTH AND FITNESS // P14

Simple steps to better health Diet and exercise don’t have to be scary. Here’s your quick start guide to getting fit and staying healthy.

If you’re living with a chronic condition like kidney disease, finding an approach to diet and exercise that you can manage is essential.

HEALTH AND FITNESS // P15

et fit – get healthy!” is a phrase that can make a lot of us panic, and probably let out a little groan because we’ve all heard it so many times. We know we’re supposed to be healthy, and we know we’re supposed to exercise, but there’s so much information out there it can be difficult to decide where to start. And if you’re living with a chronic condition like kidney disease, finding an approach to diet and exercise that you can manage is essential.

“

It’s okay to be hesitant: there is a lot to think about. But it doesn’t have to be complicated. It doesn’t have to be difficult. In fact, once you get into it, you might find you enjoy it.

Why should I even start? Fair question. Why even bother getting fit and healthy? To put it bluntly: you’re more likely to live longer and it lowers your chances of getting a host of diseases. It can also help you cope as well as possible with any existing health issues. You’ll also probably be happier! Whether it’s ditching smoking or the regular fast food, walking to the shop rather than driving, or taking a stroll at lunch, there are many changes you can make.

Our researchers are working on the Iron and Muscle study, that’s finding out if regular exercise and an iron supplement can help people living with chronic kidney disease.

Move – you don’t have to join the gym

Diet – you don’t have to live like a rabbit Fixing your diet doesn’t mean living solely on lettuce leaves. That’s not going to make anyone happy – and if you don’t enjoy your food you won’t eat it regularly. Instead of massive restrictions, keep it simple and keep it colourful. Try to stick to food that looks like it did in nature. cP lenty of sprouting veggies, some fruit, beans, nuts and seeds. cC hoose protein carefully: plant sources of protein (like pulses, beans and nuts) can avoid some of the unhealthy fats found in some cuts of meat. c S tick to lean cuts of meat and fish if you’re not vegetarian or vegan. c E at good unsaturated fats (veggies, seeds and oily fish), and steer clear of trans fats (a form of processed cooking oil) entirely as these raise cholesterol. c L imit your intake of processed food altogether – that’s anything that’s been made, like cake, sweets and processed sliced meat with the bear face in it at the deli counter! c L imit salt to about a teaspoon (six grams) as this can lower blood pressure and help your kidneys out. Moderation is key. Most people don’t have to be super strict – you should always enjoy your food. Just don’t indulge too often. Once you start with a few simple dietary swaps, you change the way you see your meals and it just becomes a habit. You can try an app like MyFitnessPal if you want some insight into the calories and nutritional aspects of your food (it’s also great for holding you accountable for those snacks).

Anything is better than nothing. Yep, anything. A stroll to the shops, a weekend jog, or even just doing the housework – whatever you can accommodate. Chair exercises can be ideal if being on your feet is a problem. If your exercise level is a zero right now, commit to just one day per week, and slowly build it up. Don’t go all-in with a five-day per week gym schedule. Ease your body into it. For those with kidney problems, we already know that muscles can start to waste away on their own. We want to help tackle this. Our researchers are working on the Iron and Muscle study, that’s finding out if regular exercise and an iron supplement can help people living with chronic kidney disease. We’re finding out whether people on the study have improved strength and whether the programme impacts their blood pressure and cholesterol.

Set yourself some goals! Setting goals can be a great motivator. Having something to work towards gives a lot of people the incentive to make the lifestyle changes we’ve talked about. This could be a target number of steps, calories or even attending a specific event. Perhaps one – or all three – of our Bridges Walks could be your goal. Not only are these events great for your health, but they also help raise money to fund more of the wonderful kidney research that will eventually improve lives.

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S ON FOR MORE DETAIL EVENTS LK OUR BRIDGES WA

To make a gift to Kidney Research UK call: 0300 303 1100

Can you spare 4 hours this World Kidney Day? Kidney patients lose around 4 hours of their day per dialysis session. What could you do in 4 hours to raise funds and make a difference?

Host a coffee morning

Organise a bike ride

Run a car wash

Arrange a bake sale

Your efforts will help fund essential research. Support us on World Kidney Day, 12 March 2020 Get your free fundraising pack:

Or call for more information:

ď&#x2030;&#x2026; www.kidneyresearchuk.org/fundraise

ď&#x201A;&#x2022; 0300 303 1100

Registered charity no. 252892, Registered Scottish charity no. SC039245