Callum Renton, 25, from Cowdenbeath in Fife, requires 12 hours of dialysis every week to stay alive after being diagnosed with kidney disease in 2022. He now attends his local renal unit three times a week for four-hour sessions.
Delayed diagnosis and rapid decline
Callum first experienced lower back pain, a urinary tract infection (UTI), and water retention. It took doctors over a year to identify the problem, as they struggled to determine the cause.
Just six months after his diagnosis, his kidneys began to deteriorate rapidly. By 2023, his kidneys started to fail, and he was put on dialysis.
Recalling his diagnosis, Callum said: “My lower back was sore, and I had a UTI. I went to my GP, but I think it was assumed that it wouldn’t have been kidney disease because of my age. I didn’t fit the stereotype of a kidney patient.
“I became increasingly unwell, visibly retaining fluid in my face. Doctors couldn’t identify the problem, and I was starting to doubt myself, thinking it was all in my head. It was hard to explain how I was feeling when it wasn’t leading to a diagnosis.”
Staying positive despite treatment
Before his diagnosis, Callum was enjoying life going out with friends and building a career working for a bank. Despite the challenges, he tries to retain a positive outlook.
Callum said: “It is not how I’d like my life to be, but dialysis hasn’t been as scary as I first feared thanks to the support I’ve had from the NHS, fellow renal patients, friends and family. Ultimately, the treatment is keeping me alive, so I try to make the best of it.
“Everyone’s experiences are different, but I want people to read my story and find positivity in their lives. Even with the restrictions of dialysis, there is a lot you can do to find joy in life.
“I don’t want my condition to stop me living my life. I know treatment can be restrictive but there is still a lot I can do. I try to say ‘yes’ to as many opportunities as I can because life is too short not to. I spend as much time with my friends as I can.
“Just doing simple things like going to a garden centre. I’ve felt a lot of support from family and friends. My best friend comes to dialysis with me sometimes and my parents have been amazing.
“I also try to keep up with my hobbies. When I do struggle with my mood, I find comedy shows are a big help. A good episode of Two Doors Down can really brighten my day!”
New job and transplant hope
Callum has just landed a new job and hopes to receive a transplant in the coming year.
He said: “I want to work and have just started a new job as an autism practitioner. That helps provide some normality to my life. I also passed my driving test last year, so I want to show you can still achieve things on dialysis.
“I’m hoping this year will be when I receive a kidney transplant. I could get that phone call at any time. When it does happen, I’ll go on a big holiday with my family and have a new kidney party! Until then, I’m just trying to live the best life I can.”
