Personal stories

In late 2011 George went to his GP, he hadn’t passed urine for about two days. He’d been feeling rundown with diarrhea, vomiting and general fatigue for a couple of weeks. The doctor, thinking it was a urinary problem prescribed anti-sickness tablets and antibiotics and requested blood tests.

Results showed acute kidney injury and George was urgently admitted to hospital where he was dialysed for ten days. George was subsequently diagnosed with testicular cancer and he was treated with chemotherapy. In late 2012 the cancer recurred and he needed further chemotherapy. He also developed sepsis, and had a second episode of acute kidney injury. He was unconscious for 18 days. Eventually George recovered some renal function – though his kidneys remain damaged and he expects to require dialysis in the near future.