A Leicestershire girl says she is determined to raise money for research into a cure for kidney disease after watching her nan live with the debilitating condition for the past few years. So, seven-year-old Ariana Riley is going to bake like crazy in a bid to help all those suffering.
Ariana will undertake the big batch of baking cakes from a stall outside her home in Burbage, near Hinckley, and sell them on. All proceeds from next month's sale will then be handed to leading research charity, Kidney Research UK.
Her family say she has been spurred on by the experiences of her beloved nan, Sue Riley, 73, who has a rare form of kidney disease which will mean she will have to make three visits a week to hospital for dialysis for the rest of her life. Mum Bev, 41, said: "Ariana decided to do something for her nan and all the people who have kidney disease and she came up with the idea of a cake sale.
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"She's doing it all to raise money for Kidney Research UK who have provided lots of help and advice to my mum. I'm very proud of her. To turn her concern for her nan's health and for other people affected by the disease into a fundraising campaign is very special, especially as she's only seven years old."
Ariana is planning to bake, among others, some of her favourite rice-crispy cakes. She said: "I love my nan and want to help her."
The family has set up an appeal on the JustGiving website for those who cannot come along on the day but would like to support her. Ariana is also doing a cake sale and quiz for her friends at Burbage St Mary's Brownies.
She has visited businesses in Burbage to ask for donations for raffle prizes. Bev said: "Everyone has been so generous. They can see that Ariana is very serious about this."
Sue, who lives in London, suffers from MPGN (Membranoproliferative Glomerulonephritis), a rare form of kidney disease. To stay healthy, she needs to go to hospital three times a week to undergo four-hour sessions of dialysis.
She said: "Ariana is the most amazing little girl. At the age of seven, she is so keen to understand this condition. A lot of people could learn from her example. She knew I was going in and out of hospital, so we bought her a book to help her understand what was going on, what kidneys are and how they can go wrong. She has heard me many times saying that people need to know more about it.
Sue became concerned when her legs began to swell and she felt unwell. Because she could not get in to see her GP because of Covid-19 restrictions, she eventually became so ill - she was struggling for breath - and was admitted to hospital as an emergency case.
She said: "Before I was diagnosed I certainly had no idea what kidney disease was. It happened during Covid. I was not feeling very well but I could not get an appointment to see my GP. All of a sudden I was sat Guy's Hospital and they were telling me I was going on dialysis.
"I have to go to hospital for 7.30am on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays for four hours of dialysis. That will be the case for the rest of my life.
"I learned this too late in the day, but really there are three things to think about. Always stay hydrated and monitor your blood pressure. If your blood pressure goes up then you need to know why - so go and see your GP. Thirdly, look out for any swelling in your legs. If you start to experience that, again, you need to talk to your GP."
Kidney Research UK estimates that, of the 3.5 million people currently living with kidney disease, around one million are unaware that they even have the condition.
Ariana's cake sale takes place on Saturday, March 15 - two days after this year's World Kidney Research Day - between 10.30am and 1.30pm. More information can be found by searching 'Ariana and Bev’s fundraiser for Kidney Research UK' on the JustGiving website.
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