Kidney Research UK

Kidney Research UK We are the leading kidney research charity in the UK. Kidney disease ends here. Only research will end kidney disease.
(295)

We believe that no one should live in fear, anxiety and pain with this life-limiting condition. Your help means our fantastic doctors, nurses, and scientists can continue their life-saving work and achieve a better life for those with kidney disease. Follow us to keep up to date with what's happening with our research. Our page should be a safe place where followers can share their person

al experiences of kidney disease and thoughts about our research. We love to hear your feedback, both positive and negative, as it’s important to us that we hear your views. Our social media house rules aim to ensure everyone can enjoy engaging with our page:

We ask everyone interacting with our page to be considerate and respectful of each other. Please ensure that your contributions to the page are civil, polite, tasteful, and are suitable for individuals of all ages and backgrounds. We do not accept disruptive, offensive, or abusive behaviour, or unlawful content. This includes any posts that are deemed to be defamatory, offensive, infringing, obscene, lewd, pornographic, violent, abusive, insulting, threatening, harassing, discriminatory, blasphemous, indecent, unlawful, or objectionable. This includes any posts that are aggressive, argumentative, or can be deemed to be bullying. Spamming or the repetition of posts that are unrelated to our page are not acceptable on our page. We try to avoid moderating posts from our followers, except in some instances - for example where posts are offensive, threatening, or include libellous content. We have a duty to protect the wellbeing of our staff and volunteers, so while we try to avoid deleting comments, any post containing a libellous accusation, will be removed. We will also remove any posts that target individual teams or members of staff. If anyone has feedback to share about any individual members of staff or teams, please get in touch with us directly. If an individual continues to post offensive, threatening or libellous content, we will remove them from our page. We do not tolerate posts that are deemed to be racist, sexist or homophobic. We also do not permit posts that support illegal activity, or activities that go against the values of the charity. If you feel that any user content has broken our social media house rules, email us at [email protected]. Comments and content posted on our page by our followers are their views and may not represent the views Kidney Research UK.

Living with a chronic illness like kidney disease is far from easy. Sometimes a little act of support and encouragement ...
03/09/2026

Living with a chronic illness like kidney disease is far from easy. Sometimes a little act of support and encouragement is needed - just like this sweet note and 'pocket hug' that kidney warrior Elle received from her daughter 💌

Tag someone in the comments who could do with a little 'pocket hug' today 💜

Nicola and Tony met while on holiday in January 2026. The pair spent the next three months enjoying each other’s company...
02/09/2026

Nicola and Tony met while on holiday in January 2026. The pair spent the next three months enjoying each other’s company, going to restaurants and concerts and discovering new places together.

It was just before their first date that Tony revealed he was living with kidney failure. He had told Nicola that finding a relationship had been difficult, as people would wrongly assume that he just wanted a carer.

During their time together, Tony was accepted on to the transplant waiting list and after learning more about kidney donation, Nicola decided she wanted to be tested to see if she was a match, along with several of Tony's friends.

In March, Tony had developed a bad cough, and Nicola urged him to rest and get a second X-ray, after the first came back clear. But soon after, Nicola received the heartbreaking news that she never wanted to hear - Tony had sadly passed away in his sleep from pneumonia, complicated by his kidney failure.

“I was devastated to lose him. They say only the good die young, and I believe that after Tony. I was just drawn to him. He was just so kind, generous, considerate of others and enjoyed life to the fullest."

Tony's favourite saying was ‘Live life to the fullest, as nothing’s promised', and Nicola intends to do just that, starting with honouring his life at the Liverpool Bridges Walk, on would have been his 51st birthday.

"Tony said, ‘I just want someone to make a fuss on my birthday’. So this is our fuss - and also an opportunity to raise awareness for those living with kidney failure."

Dialysis can be a lifeline when our kidneys stop working properly. But for the thousands of people who rely on it, it ca...
01/09/2026

Dialysis can be a lifeline when our kidneys stop working properly. But for the thousands of people who rely on it, it can also have a huge impact on everyday life.

When around 85–90% of kidney function is lost, dialysis may be needed to do some of the work the kidneys can no longer manage.

It can mean a significant time commitment, restrictions on travel and holidays, limiting fluid intake and avoiding certain foods. It can also come with symptoms and complications, including an increased risk of infection and extreme tiredness.

That’s why our researchers are working to make dialysis a better experience for the people who depend on it.

Here are just a few of the studies we’re currently funding:

1. Dr Claudio Capelli and his team are redesigning central venous lines specifically for children, with the aim of reducing complications and improving the experience for children receiving dialysis.

2. Dr Emma Murphy and her team are investigating whether virtual reality could help reduce some of the symptoms caused by dialysis, without the need for medication.

3. Karen Nagalingam is exploring the support available to young adults on haemodialysis. Through interviews and focus groups, she’s learning more about their experiences and looking at ways to improve social interaction and reduce isolation and loneliness.

These are just three examples of the research helping us look beyond dialysis as it is today and towards a future where treatment is safer, more manageable and better suited to the lives of the people who need it.

Head to our website to read more about the research we're funding!

Judy has watched kidney disease change her son’s life. Now she’s determined to change the future for others 💪 Judy's 40-...
31/08/2026

Judy has watched kidney disease change her son’s life. Now she’s determined to change the future for others 💪

Judy's 40-year-old son, Alistair, went into kidney failure last year after being diagnosed with chronic kidney disease (CKD) when he was just 18.

Alistair has been able to live a normal life with medication and regular check-ups, but needed to be added to the transplant list and start dialysis in 2025 due to the slow deterioration of his kidneys.

After some time, he was lucky enough to received a kidney transplant via the UK Living Kidney Sharing Scheme, which matched him and his brother, James, with other donor and recipient pairs.

Judy explained: “James spent six weeks recovering before getting back to life and returning to work. Alastair’s journey has been less straightforward. The kidney isn’t functioning to the level doctors had originally hoped. However, it is working and it’s better than dialysis. We just hope doctors can find the right balance of immunosuppressive medication to avoid transplant rejection, while improving his immune system.”

Seeing how kidney disease continues to affect Alistair's life has made Judy more determined than ever to make a difference for the future of kidney patients. So far she has completed four 10km runs, the Edinburgh Half Marathon, the Falkirk Wheel abseil and an RRS Discovery mast climb.

"Research really is the key to the future. We know Alastair is likely to need another transplant at some point. It would be incredible if advances in treatment meant he could receive this directly from a family member.”

At just 12 years old, Jasmine was diagnosed with a form of kidney disease called IgA vasculitis nephritis.By the time sh...
28/08/2026

At just 12 years old, Jasmine was diagnosed with a form of kidney disease called IgA vasculitis nephritis.

By the time she was diagnosed, she had already lost more than half her kidney function. Seven months later, her kidneys were failing and she had to start dialysis.

Jasmine's illness has had a huge impact on her whole family, with her mum, Helen, having to stop working to care for her.

“It has been awful. One of the worst times was Christmas Eve in 2023, when Jasmine had several seizures and was rushed to hospital. She was placed in a coma for a week and had to re-learn to walk. It has caused neurological problems that still affect her memory.” - Helen

After almost two years on dialysis, Jasmine's dad, Phil was able to donate a kidney to her. They've both been doing well after the transplant and Jasmine has gained a lot of freedom since being able to come off dialysis, but a transplant is not a cure and there are still hospital appointments, check-ups and complications to navigate.

Managing kidney disease hasn't stopped Jasmine from finding the time to make a difference and help others - last week, while most year 11 students anxiously awaited their GCSE results, 16-year-old Jasmine was coming back down to earth after her sky dive, which has raised over £2,500 to help us continue finding new ways of preventing and treating kidney disease.

"I was amazed at how many people turned up to support me. I’m so grateful for the donations I’ve received."

Thank you Jasmine for your bravery and drive to help others who are going through similar experiences - you are making a huge difference ⭐

New research results have shown the benefits of a tool that estimates the likelihood of kidney complications for pregnan...
27/08/2026

New research results have shown the benefits of a tool that estimates the likelihood of kidney complications for pregnant women with chronic kidney disease (CKD).

CKD in pregnancy can increase risks for both mother and baby, but it's hard to give clear, personalised answers about what those risks look like for each woman.

That's where Dr Kate Bramham and her team from King's College London come in - they're developing a tool that can better estimate these risks before pregnancy begins.

"We worked with women living with CKD to understand what questions they wanted answered...we designed the tool around the outcomes that matter most to women and their families." - Dr Kate Bramham

The team analysed thousands of real-world pregnancies over more than two decades to build a detailed picture of women’s health before and during pregnancy, focusing on known risk factors like kidney function and blood pressure.

The tool proved to be particularly good at identifying women who were unlikely to experience serious complications during or after pregnancy.

Renal trainee, Dr Mairéad Hamill, explained: "We hope this tool will allow us to reassure more women that they are likely to have a successful pregnancy, while identifying those who need extra support."

In the early 1990s, Steve’s doctor noticed protein and blood in his urine and later found that his kidneys were only ope...
26/08/2026

In the early 1990s, Steve’s doctor noticed protein and blood in his urine and later found that his kidneys were only operating at a third of their normal function and had reduced in size.

He was diagnosed with nephrocalcinosis - a condition where too much calcium is deposited in the kidneys.

After going into renal failure, Steve needed dialysis three afternoons a week for two years, and then began dialysing at home.

"Throughout it all my morale never dipped. I just got on with it and took it in my stride, although I really did miss going on holiday. I’m so grateful to my partner Sonia and everyone around me for being so supportive during that time."

But in March 2011, everything changed when he received the call he had been waiting for, to tell him a kidney donor had been found.

"I can't thank my donor enough for that. So far they have given me 15 fantastic years. Through all of this, something I've learned is that you have to grab life with both hands and make the most of the things you love because you don't know what's around the corner."

Fifteen years after his transplant, Steve is joining hundreds of fundraisers at the Liverpool Bridges Walk next week – not just to celebrate how far he's come, but to help ensure future generations can benefit from research that could one day end kidney disease 💜

Will you be joining us at one of our Bridges Walks this year, like Steve? Let us know in the comments - we can't wait to see you!

This is the shocking reality of kidney disease in the UK.Every day, 24 more people start treatment for kidney failure - ...
25/08/2026

This is the shocking reality of kidney disease in the UK.

Every day, 24 more people start treatment for kidney failure - that's one person every single hour.

Our purpose is to put an end to this, but we need support from you and from our Government to see a significant improvement for kidney patients.

We recently launched our 100 Days Kidney Test petition and time is ticking ⏰

We have 63 days left to demand that our Government make meaningful change and include kidney disease in their plans for preventing ill health and keeping people as healthy as possible for as long as possible.

Click the link in the comments to add your name to the petition!

Clare had to re-learn how to walk and talk, after combined open-heart surgery and the removal of a cancerous kidney caus...
24/08/2026

Clare had to re-learn how to walk and talk, after combined open-heart surgery and the removal of a cancerous kidney caused massive bleeding which led to a stroke. Since then, she has needed life-restricting dialysis treatment three times a week, affecting her ability to work, travel and engage in day-to-day activities.

In August 2022, Clare visited her doctor after noticing she was having headaches and feeling out of sorts. Scans showed a tumour on her kidney and a thrombus (blood clot) was found in the inferior vena cava from her kidney to her heart.

“It was very scary hearing that I had kidney cancer. To find out that I’d also need open heart surgery to treat the thrombus was terrifying. It took a long time to get my head around it."

Both her cancerous kidney and the thrombus were removed, but the surgery caused massive bleeding due to a tear in her liver. The trauma led to a mini stroke.

When Clare left hospital, she had to find a new normal – recovering from her stroke and adjusting to needing dialysis three times a week. She now has to wait until she's five years cancer-free before she can be added to the transplant list for a new kidney.

“It does make me emotional to think about the difference that a transplant could make. Being able to swim in the sea again and go on holiday. I really miss that. Me and my husband have talked about our dreams of selling the house and going travelling around the world in a camper van if it became possible. I hope one day it will be.”

Kelly’s experiences highlight how difficult pregnancy can be for some people with kidney disease.Kelly became pregnant w...
21/08/2026

Kelly’s experiences highlight how difficult pregnancy can be for some people with kidney disease.

Kelly became pregnant with twins in 2015, but sadly lost both her babies due to the strain being put on her body as her kidney function had dropped to 35%.

After the birth of her son, Alfie, in 2017 she unexpectedly fell pregnant again but heartbreakingly felt she had no choice but to have a medical termination due to her risk of kidney failure, making it likely that her baby would have significant health problems and a poor quality of life.

She was put on the transplant list in 2021 and by the time she received her transplant from a deceased donor in June 2024, Kelly’s kidneys were functioning at just 9%.

“Kidney disease is a lifelong illness which makes becoming and navigating being a parent more challenging. I am very conscious of the risk of transplant rejection, and what that would mean for me and Alfie. We're staying positive though, and taking life as it comes.”

After all the difficulties Kelly has faced through her kidney disease and pregnancies, she'll be joining us next month for the Liverpool Bridges Walk on 6 September with her dad, to raise crucial funds and awareness for the thousands of patients facing similar experiences.

If you are pregnant or are looking to become pregnant whilst living with kidney disease, please be sure to talk to your doctor.

Address

Stuart House, City Road
Peterborough
PE11QF

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm

Telephone

+443003031100

Website

, , , ht

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Kidney Research UK posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Shortcuts

Share

Category