To mark World Kidney Day today, Kidney Research UK is launching its ‘Take a Wee Look’ campaign to raise awareness of the early signs of kidney disease. At the heart of the campaign is Hafsa Begum, a Bradford mum-of-three and former nurse, who is sharing her life-changing experience in the hopes of helping others spot the warning signs before it’s too late.
World Kidney Day
Hafsa led an active and healthy life, balancing family and work, when she suddenly started experiencing alarming symptoms – blood in her urine, pain in her sides, and heart palpitations. What started as mild symptoms quickly escalated into a severe medical crisis. She was diagnosed with renal thrombosis (a blood clot in the vein from the kidneys) which triggered acute kidney injury and left her with just 19% kidney function.
Her condition worsened, and on 14 March 2024 – ironically, World Kidney Day last year – her kidneys failed completely, forcing her to begin emergency dialysis via a central line. The line was a temporary but high-risk method of accessing her bloodstream, and it remained in place for nine months. This significantly restricted her lifestyle, including preventing her from swimming due to the risk of infection.
To continue her treatment, Hafsa underwent surgery to create a fistula in her arm, which provided a more permanent access point for dialysis. Now, she spends three and a half hours, three times a week, on dialysis – a lifeline that keeps her alive but continues to limit her daily activities. The alternative would be palliative care. Her only hope for regaining her independence is a kidney transplant.
Spotting the signs of kidney disease
“It’s easy to overlook symptoms or explain them away, but it’s so important to react when your body is telling you something isn’t right,” Hafsa said. “For me, blood in my urine was very obvious, but I know that’s not the case for everyone. Sometimes the changes are much less visible, especially if you don’t normally take note of your urine colour.
“Going to my GP led to a blood test that showed my kidney function was falling drastically. That one test changed everything.”
Kidney disease is often called a ‘silent killer’ because it often has no obvious symptoms in the early stages. According to a poll conducted by Kidney Research UK, over 80% of people don’t know what their kidneys do, let alone the warning signs of kidney failure. The charity is urging people to monitor their urine for indicators such as blood or excessive foaming and to use their online health check to assess their risk.
Lucy Sreeves, group director at Kidney Research UK, emphasised the importance of awareness: “Too many people are unaware of the early warning signs of kidney disease, and by the time symptoms become obvious, significant damage may already have been done. We want everyone to understand the importance of simple checks like this that help detect kidney disease, so they can take action before it’s too late. It may not be the most pleasant look you take this week, but it might just save your life.”
Hope for the future
Despite the challenges she faces, Hafsa remains hopeful.
“Dialysis has taken so much from me – three days a week are lost to treatment, and I have to restrict what I eat and drink. It makes holidays, family events, even day-to-day life so much harder. But I have a bag packed and ready for when the call for my transplant comes. I just want to get back to enjoying life with my family – hiking, traveling, and finding peace of mind again.”
Kidney Research UK’s ‘Take a Wee Look’ campaign aims to help others avoid Hafsa’s ordeal by encouraging early detection and intervention. To learn more about kidney disease and how to check for warning signs, visit Kidney Research UK’s website.
From a press release.
