About

Living with kidney disease - together

We’ve been living with kidney disease for the last six years. And one thing we’ve learned quickly is that it doesn’t just affect the person with the diagnosis. It reaches into relationships, family life, work, plans, energy levels and everyday routines. Sometimes loudly. Sometimes quietly. But always widely.

When “carry on as normal” didn’t feel possible

At the start, a consultant told John to carry on as usual. He explained that kidney failure would likely come in around three years, and that the best thing we could do was live life in the meantime. It was sensible, calm advice, but we couldn’t just sit still and wait. That’s not how we’re wired. So we did what many families do: we tried everything.

Everything we could think of

We researched constantly. We followed kidney specialists, nutritionists and patient groups. We read medical papers, joined forums, spoke to people across the world and listened to advice that ranged from highly credible to fairly questionable.

We explored diets (renal, low protein, keto, low carb), supplements, specific drinks, Chinese medicine, yoga, meditation, breathing techniques, cold-water exposure, fitness regimes, rest regimes, mindset work - even the Wim Hof method. There’s very little we haven’t researched or tried. All of this happened alongside family life and running a company, because kidney disease doesn’t pause everything else.

When theory became reality

In the end, the consultant was right. Almost exactly three years later, John reached kidney failure. We moved into home dialysis, complete with machines, water systems and schedules that quietly took over the house. When that became unsustainable, we moved into hospital dialysis instead. None of it was easy, but none of it broke us.

Why KidneyKin exists

KidneyKinUK grew out of that experience. We’ve learned that while kidney disease can feel deeply isolating, it’s easier when you’re not carrying it alone. We’re not here to offer fixes or tell anyone how their journey should look. We’re here as a family, because shared experience matters - the practical bits, the emotional bits, the frustration, resilience, humour and hope.

That’s why we’re KidneyKin: not because we have all the answers, but because we understand how much stronger it feels to face this together.