Worthing woman awaiting kidney transplant to run her first half marathon for Kidney Care UK

Kat Chapman, 44, has seen her mum and brother go through kidney transplants and has been diagnosed with end-stage kidney failure herself, meaning she needs dialysis three times a week.

Despite facing fatigue, restless legs, skin problems and difficulties regulating body heat, she has completed a Learn to Run Course with Foxy Ladies Running Club and built up to running the Venice 10k in October 2022.

It was not easy, with some running and some walking, but Kat is determined to continue to build up to run the London Landmarks Half Marathon on April 2.

She said: "I am always the one at the back but the Foxy Ladies have been so supportive. I haven't done a half marathon before – I can run 5k without stopping and the longest I have done is 10k.

"I wanted to do something for Kidney Care. I spend a lot of time at Brighton on the renal ward and there are a lot of people similar to me, having to use dialysis to stay alive. I am fortunate that I am relatively healthy myself and I just wanted to do something to give back and help some of the people I see at the hospital."

Kat, who works full time as learning and development manager at an IT company, has been put on the kidney transplant waiting list. She began her fitness journey because to be eligible, you need to be fit and healthy.

She will be running the half marathon in memory of her mum, Sheila Chapman, who had her transplant in 2003 and sadly died in 2018. Sheila was told her condition was not hereditary but Kat's brother was diagnosed with kidney failure in December 2019 and then Kat was diagnosed in 2020.

Kat said: "I had been checked in 2016 after a kidney infection and everything was fine. What happened with my brother encouraged me to join Foxy Ladies in March 2020. I went for only two weeks, then it was lockdown, but they carried on with virtual runs and that got us really motivated."

After her first non-stop 5k at the beginning of June 2020, Kat was on a high but she started to feel really tired and when she went to an NHS Give Blood session, she was refused because her iron levels were too low. It transpired her kidneys were working at only 32 per cent.

Kat said: "That spurred me on to get as fit and healthy as I could. I try to stay positive and live each day as it comes. I have always said I am not going to let my condition define me. I am never going to be the fastest off the block but if I can raise awareness, that is one of my main key drivers.

"I want to do as much as I can for the charity and I hope to raise lots of money to support this wonderful cause. Kidney Care provide practical and emotional support, funding patient research projects and improving care services. They give total support to help improve the quality of life for everyone affected by kidney disease."

Visit justgiving.com/fundraising/kat-chapman78 for more information and to make a donation.