Rona’s son David was diagnosed with polycystic kidney disease (PKD) when he was 22 years old.
Rona’s son David was diagnosed with polycystic kidney disease (PKD) when he was 22 years old. After experiencing an unrelated complaint in his teens, his GP ordered a routine blood test, followed by a kidney health check, which revealed that his kidneys were not functioning normally. David would go onto be diagnosed with PKD.
David saw a specialist regularly and was put on blood pressure medication, and his kidney function was monitored for 10 years, with the help of a special diet. Eleven years ago, David commenced dialysis, and fortunately, only 12 months later, had a kidney transplant which was donated by his cousin. David will be celebrating his 10-year kidneyversary in November 2020.
David and his partner Jessica wanted to start a family but were worried about the implications given his diagnosis of PKD. Would he pass it onto his children? Reaching out to Kidney Health Australia, for support and information to make an informed decision, they gained a wealth of information on PKD and kidney disease in general, which resulted in them making the decision to have a family.
Rona saw how useful the support her son received from Kidney Health Australia was, that she has made the significant decision to leave a gift in her Will to Kidney Health Australia.
“The support and guidance that David received was invaluable. I would want to ensure that other people affected by kidney disease also benefited from the wealth of resources available at Kidney Health Australia. That is why I have made the decision to leave a gift in my Will – to give something back to others in a similar situation to my son.”