When my dad was diagnosed with kidney failure he was told he wouldn’t be able to have more children, but a kidney transplant gave him a new lease of life, which led to me being born – at the time the Weston Mercury deemed me to be a ‘miracle baby’! Although his kidneys failed during my childhood he was lucky enough to have another transplant in 2011. Sadly there were complications and he passed away. It’s been 14 years since my dad died and I feel ready to take on a huge challenge. I know Dad would want me to raise as much as possible, and I’d love to be able to do something this significant in his memory.

I’ve gone from being restricted to drinking just one litre of fluid a day on dialysis to training for the greatest marathon on earth. This run is for my grandfather, my mum, my brother, and my son – but most of all, it's a thank you to the donor family who gave me a second chance. I’m running so that Kidney Care UK can ensure no one else has to face this journey alone.

I would have never thought, when I was in hospital on more than 20 pills every day and with a drip in my arm, that running a marathon would be possible, but I can happily say that's not the case anymore! I know first-hand the power that charities like Kidney Care UK can have and the difference they can make – to people's care, to patient support, and to the health service overall. Raising money is key to providing all those services – and the London Marathon is the best time to do it.

I am doing the marathon to raise awareness of kidney disease and transplantation in the hope that more people will consider coming forward to be living donors. People from Black and south Asian backgrounds face a significantly longer wait for a transplant due to a lack of donors in the Black community. They are also five times more likely to develop kidney failure. We need to talk about this more.

In 2002 I had my left kidney removed following a kidney stone. I was able to return to refereeing in the EFL within 5 weeks and officiated a further 16 seasons – 10 as a Premier League referee – until retiring in 2018. I was then diagnosed with chronic kidney disease, stage 3, in 2019. Whilst my kidney disease is manageable and I’m still able to be active I want to raise awareness of this hidden disease that affects so many people.

I see firsthand the incredible work and passion of the whole team at Kidney Care UK and the genuine impact they have on so many members of our community. From providing counselling and advocacy, to grants and emergency financial help, to influencing policy and supporting service improvement, they make a real difference where it matters. The sad reality of our challenging economy, cost of living crisis and increasingly burdened NHS means life is especially hard right now for those impacted by kidney disease.

We receive no government funding, so we rely on the kind and generous supporters who donate or raise money for the charity. We believe that no one should face kidney disease alone and are so grateful for all of our London Marathon team and their incredible support.

Jasmine Williams, Events Manager at Kidney Care UK