ARIC Ebbs felt short of breath and under the weather—but never suspected he had chronic kidney disease. He found out in time after him mum dragged him to a free kidney screening in East London
ARIC Ebbs felt short of breath and under the weather—but never suspected he had chronic kidney disease.
He found out in time after his mum dragged him to a free kidney screening in East London.
The story emerged tonight as NHS bosses at the Royal London Hospital in Whitechapel were getting ready for the next screening session this coming Saturday as part of a national pilot’ scheme.
DIALYSIS
The 24-year-old landscape gardener was told if he hadn’t been tested, he could have died.
He is now receiving dialysis four hours at a time, three days a week.
“I just thought I was just short of breath,” he recalled. “But my mum really insisted I go in for screening. She literally dragged me to the hospital—I’m so lucky.”
He lost his brother from kidney disease who was only 20 years old and has an older brother also being treated.
Doctors warned him that his haemoglobin blood count was very low, at 4.9, when it should be around 12.
NO IDEA
“They put a line through my neck and later through the chest as a temporary haemodialysis access,” Aric added.
“I know my brother died and my older brother needed treatment, but I still didn’t think I could be suffering from the same thing.”
The kidney screening sessions are part of a nationwide pilot scheme for Kidney Research UK.
The next session is on Saturday (June 6) at the hospital’s Renal Outpatient department in Whitechapel Road, 9am to 4.30pm.
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