Background

Parveen and Khalid Awan founded Blackburn Kidney Group.  They started the group in July 2001.  Their son, Faizan, suffered from end-stage renal failure at the age of six weeks.  They realised that bringing up children was not an easy task but bringing up a child with chronic renal failure was a constant up hill struggle.  Their baby needed constant looking after more than any normal baby.  He spent weeks in hospital as he constantly got urinary track infections and any other infection going.  He was unable to feed normally and so was fed by naso-gastric tube. (A plastic tube passed through the nose leading to the stomach).

Over the years Faizan went through many phased of Kidney disease.  He also suffered from bladder problems and needed surgical procedures to rectify that.  He has had up to 30 operations to date.  Going through these difficult times, they felt alone, isolated and helpless and would have appreciated any form of help or support but unfortunately none was forthcoming.

The only support they got was from the renal team at Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital which Faizan attended.  Once he was home there was no one to talk to or ask for help or support.  They felt alone and afraid of what was happening to their child and what the future may hold for him.

Faizan had his first Renal Transplant at the age of three years. This kidney worked for ten years.   The Transplant eventually failed and he went back on dialysis.  He was put on the organ waiting list.  He waited for a Kidney to become available but weeks became months and months developed in to years and still there was no Kidney.  This was when his parents decided to donated one of their kidneys.   His father, Khalid’s kidney matched and he donated one of his kidneys to Faizan in May 2000.   This Kidney is still working to date.

After Faizan’s transplant his parents decided that it was time that they offer the help and support to other kidney patients, their carers and families.  The help and support that was not available to them.  They believe that some thing good should come out of all the pain and misery their family had experienced and hence The Blackburn and District Kidney Support Group was born.

The Group was set up with the help, support and guidance from Dorothy Whitaker, Chief Officer of Blackburn with Darwen CVS.  and Shakil Salam,  PCT Community Develpment Manager.  

FAIZAN AWAN won the National Kidney Research Fund’s Young Hero Award 2000.  He donated his prize money to improve the local children’s playground.  Blackburn with Darwen Council raised further £30k to fully refurbish the children's play area in Corporation Park, BLACKBURN.  

He was commended with The High Sheriff of Lacacashire’s Young Citizen Award 2001. 

He was also awarded The Princess of Diana Memorial Award 2000 – 2001 in recognition of his Fund raising, work for the community and succeeding ‘against the odds’ 

He is studying full time at Sheffield University. 

He is an aspiration and role model for other young kidney patients.  His message is 'Don’t let your illness take over your life.  You can do so much more than you think.'

Please, Come and join the Kidney Support Group. you would enjoy yourself  and make new friends

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