Today we meet Alice Skinner, our longest serving team member. Alice is 13 years old and attends St Hilds School in Hartlepool. Alice was born with dysplastic kidneys, meaning she had no properly formed kidneys. Despite a touch and go start to life, Alice battled through and at 6 months old, started on peritoneal dialysis (PD), which was done overnight, every night at home. Alices condition meant she had other problems to cope with, one of these being that she needed a bladder augmentation before a transplant could be considered. Finally at the age of 3, she was big and strong enough to undergo surgery and her bladder was reconstructed using part of her bowel. Unfortunately, Alice caught fungal peritonitis, meaning she could no longer receive PD at home and had to transfer to haemodialysis, 3 days a week at the RVI, Newcastle. Alice battled on and finally, at the magic 10kgs, she was able to be placed on the waiting list for a kidney transplant. Four long years passed, during which Alice encountered many scares along the way, but her health never affected the very strong willed little person she had become. Alice didnt want to be treat any differently, despite being a lot smaller than her peers. On 4.4.08, the call came that everyone had been hoping for. There was a possible match of a kidney for Alice. In someone elses heartbreak, they had selflessly granted the gift of life. In Alices own words, her new kidney unpacked its bags and settled very happily into its new home. Alices donor and family are never far from our minds, especially during the Transplant Games and we thank them for providing her with a life and a second birthday. She certainly lives life to the full. Transplant isnt a cure and Alice endeavours to keep that kidney happy, 16 tablets a day and 1700mls of fluid (with lots of nagging at times to drink) can be challenging for a teenager. Alice also has a tethered spinal cord and a year exactly after her transplant, underwent harrowing brain surgery for a Chiari malformation and hydrocephalus, all possibly linked to her kidney/spine problems. But, as usual, after scares, tears and a few grey hairs, Alice got through this setback and bounced out the other side. She also suffers with bone problems and renal osteodystrophy means her leg bones in particular became mis-shapen, causing her legs to bow. Alice has had two lots of surgery for this and will be going in Hospital again on 5th November, for her 32nd operation. These legs should be well on the way to be fit and strong and ready to tackle her favourite sports at next years Transplant Games in Newcastle, her 7th year of competing.
Posted on: Mon, 20 Oct 2014 18:22:40 +0000
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