Zahid's Inspiring Kidney Health Journey

Patients’ Journeys

Zahid Bhatti Founder, Chair of Global Kidney Foundation personal story

Growing up I had a cheerful life through school to university, a blessed loving family, loyal loving friends and then later a beautiful loving batter half. I was happy, blessed and was content.

I was an active person. I loved staying busy. As entrepreneur was busy in my businesses and all of sudden got news that my Kidneys are not working properly, So, for the Doctor to tell me I had Chronic Kidney Disease was very unexpected, to say the least. That took a toll on my mental health. I loved my life of independence, but the life that I was living with Chronic Kidney Disease…was not mine!

To me, it was a bad nightmare, it was the most emotionally and physically exasperating time in my life. My body movements were slower; my mood swings were at a pandemonium, not to mention the machine that I had to lug around with me wherever I spent the night. Just the thought of that white renal machine raises every strand on my spine. I sometimes felt like a little child trapped in a bad nightmare. Just anticipating the crack of dawn, anticipating for it to all to be done with, but it never was, as every day was still the same.

Waking up with the feeling of frustration, eating with a sense of defeat, having to be cleaned and feeling humiliated, sleeping with a hint of hope, hope that when I wake up all of this would simply be a product of my imagination. It was extremely draining, and this nightmare continued for another two years. I tried to focused with my business & tried to achieve my dream goals.

Two years of realising death is no game. Death does not care how old you are, how rich you are, how tall you are or how pretty you are. Death is death! Death comes when it wants. I was not living, I was basically dead. Not physically, but emotionally and mentally. I was an empty shell of a person, hollow, in a state of thinking that my life was over.

However, with the support from my doctors, nurses and family, which I am ever so grateful for, my quality of life started to improve slightly. It was still bad, but I cannot imagine the trauma of not having them there by my side.

Finally, the day had arrived Nov 2011 where all my misery and struggles surpassed. I had found a donor! My real brother donated me his kidney which was rejected within few minutes!!! What? Yes was rejected. Another journey with another pressure started. First few months could not understand what happened but slowly with help of my doctors, Nurses & family I try to overcome from this shock.

After Almost two years around 6:30 I got a call from my hospital, which was completely breath-taking. I got a match & have to rush to hospital for my 2nd transplant. Later around 4:30 doctors confirmed me they are taking me to operation theatre for my transplant. I got a gift of life from someone who signed as donor.

I was blessed got two chances for live my life, got supportive family, doctors, nurses & colleagues.

I was finally going to claim my life back, take back what was rightfully mine. Two years of my life were spent in pain and not knowing what to expect, I was in a place of living and not living, something that I wish for nobody to experience. I would never want what I endured on anyone else.

Just after my 2nd transplant to start a organisation through which I can share & express my feelings, experience & emptions with families and advocate those renal patients who were on machines and depending on machines due to less donors availability. I started Global Kidney Foundation www.gkf.org.uk. Since then I am arranging different events every year to create awareness, supporting transplant games, supporting Royal London Hospital & arranging free health checks in West Midlands. It is important that we help others in this state, those with lost lives and those with no hope. We must do whatever it takes to bring back hope into the lives of suffering renal patients and help save their lives. Join Global Kidney Foundation GIVE HOPE GIVE LIFE.