Wear red and walk for people like Aaron
AARON Williams was diagnosed with a kidney condition when he was just 17, and now at 29 he undertakes dialysis four times a week while waiting for a new organ.
Mr Williams was born with another kidney condition IgA nephropathy, but that was suppose to go away in his teenage years. Instead he was diagnosed with Alport syndrome at 17.
While no one in Mr Williams’ family has kidney problems, he explained Alport syndrome was a rare hereditary condition that affects the immune system. Hearing can also be affected.
“They just said they weren’t sure when it was going to affect me, but unfortunately it decided to hit me in my early 20s,” he said.
Mr Williams was lucky to receive a kidney transplant from his father when he was 22, but his body rejected it after three years.
He now undertakes dialysis at the Toowoomba Dialysis Clinic at St Andrew’s Hospital four times a week, for four hours at a time.
“(It’s) not fun at all. But it is something we have got to do, unfortunately,” he said.
Mr Williams has been back on the waiting list for a kidney transplant for just over a year.
“Hopefully one day I get a new kidney. As soon as I get one I will be off and racing,” he said.
He will be off and not racing, but walking, and is encouraging others to join him at tomorrow’s Big Red Kidney Walk.
Participants are asked to wear red.
The walk will be held at Newtown Park from 8am for a 9am start. To register go to kidney.org.au/walk.