Gaz pays tribute to ‘world-class’ hospital team who saved his life
FORMER BAR OWNER,OWN 38, HAD KIDNEY FAILURE
THE former owner of a popular Nottingham music venue says he owes his life to City Hospital staff after suffering kidney failure last year.
Gareth Peacham, 38, from Sherwood, operated The Maze in Mansfield Road before its closure on June 29 last year. The venue was known for its live music performances.
Just months after having to close The Maze, “Gaz” fell seriously ill. He has now opened up about his health problems which led to him spending a week in the intensive care unit and losing over four stone.
He told the Post:
“In November 2019 I had a huge kidney failure and was rushed into hospital. I spent a week in ICU before being moved to renal.
“The staff there looked after me and nursed me back to health, helping me to understand what had happened to me and helping me get my physical health back. I was at that point suffering from level 5 chronic kidney disease (CKD) and my body had shut down.”
After three weeks of intense dialysis and physiotherapy, he left the ward and returned five days a week for dialysis, before starting home dialysis.
He was given a personal renal nurse, Sharon, who came to see him several times a week and taught him to do dialysis himself at home. By March 2020 there were signs of improvement and Gaz came off dialysis. He still goes back to the unit every few months and is now on medication. “When you suffer from CKD you have no energy and simple tasks become very hard,” he continued.
“It took me months to build strength up as I lost over four stone when I crashed. Though my kidneys are improving now there is still a strong chance I will in future need a transplant and need the renal team again.
“I honestly think without having a world-class renal unit and team in Nottingham I might have died and certainly wouldn’t have made such a positive recovery to date.”
He describes the staff at the renal unit as “so attentive and hard-working”.
Gaz has recovered well enough to play again with his band Unknown Era and they released their debut album A State of Affairs in June.
Every December the Old Nottinghamians’ Society organises a gig for a Nottingham Hospitals Charity cause. Gaz and The Maze hosted their fundraiser for the renal unit back in 2017.
Because of coronavirus, the show this year will be a live stream by London-based solo artist Zoe Konez.
Zoe will be playing her own songs, plus covers from the 60s to now; from Nancy Sinatra to Billie Eilish.
Gaz added: “It will mean the world to be able to give something back to the unit. It is becoming more common for people in their 30s, 40s and even younger to suffer renal failure and is no longer just something that affects people later in life.
“Especially now with many Covid patients having kidney issues too and with current CKD patients being high risk in the current pandemic, the renal unit could do with a boost during testing times for all in the NHS.”
The fundraiser will be livestreamed on Wednesday, December 16, at 8.30pm. For more information, and details on how to donate go to https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/livestream-for-nottinghamrenal-unit
It is becoming more common for people in their 30s, 40s and even younger to suffer renal failure. Gareth Peacham