Newry toddler is face of Kidney Care UK Appeal

A two years old Newry child is fronting a Christmas fundraising appeal just launched by Kidney Care UK, the UK’s leading kidney patient support charity. 

Olly was born on St Stephen's Day 2019 and has been on dialysis for the last 18 months. He spends 84 hours every week doing dialysis which replaces the work of his kidneys. His body is unable to process toxins so he is also on a restricted fluid diet, which means that he can only have 100ml of water to drink each day.

Olly’s mum, Dionne Cartmill says: “Olly’s birth was a normal delivery, and all his newborn scans were normal too. I couldn’t have had a better Christmas present. Yet as the months progressed, we could see something wasn’t right. We just never expected it to be kidney failure and if it weren’t for a blood test, he would probably be dead. 

“As we celebrate Christmas this year, we will be thankful for many things, especially those who have supported us throughout this journey and who have given Olly a chance to be a child. I don’t know where we would be without the support of Kidney Care UK and the team at the Royal Belfast Hospital for Sick Children.

There are around 1,000 children living with CKD in the UK; children who are missing out on so much of their childhood because they spend hours every week, week after week, coping with relentless dialysis and frequent hospital appointments. 

Katie Hepworth, Head of Fundraising at Kidney Care UK, added: “Having kidney disease affects every area of your life and impacts on your whole family. We are here to ensure that no-one faces this alone, and we want to ensure that children with kidney disease are able to thrive and live their lives to the full. We are so grateful for Dionne and Olly for sharing their experiences with us and helping to raise awareness of kidney disease, and raise funds for the charity so we can help other families in the same situation.”

Jo-Anne Dobson, Northern Ireland Ambassador for Kidney Care UK and a living kidney donor said: “As a young mother I faced exactly the same situation as Dionne when my second son Mark was born. 

“Kidney Care UK is proud to support children, and adults, right across Northern Ireland who are living with kidney disease.  We fund the children each year to attend the Transplant Games and provide dedicated support including funding Shared Care nurses in the Western Trust and a Renal Counsellor in the Northern Trust.  However, none of this would be possible without the terrific support we receive from the heart of the local community for which we are truly thankful.”

If you would like to donate you can do so here www.kidneycareuk.org