A man was left stunned after a supposed broken toe led to the discovery that he needed a new kidney.
Niven Hopkins, 27, was left in pain after his foot suddenly swelled massively in July last year. After he was able to see a GP, he was initially diagnosed with gout.
Niven, from Bolton, said: “I couldn’t walk, I struggled to get a doctor’s appointment for the first couple of days so I couldn’t take any medication or anything, I just kind of had to battle it.
“I managed to see the doctor and he said ‘we weren’t expecting someone like you to walk in, so young and healthy, we were expecting someone a bit older or overweight’.”
But Niven’s situation took a dramatic turn when he received an early morning call instructing him to rush to the Royal Bolton Hospital after his blood tests were analysed.
He said: “I got a call at like five in the morning saying ‘you need to go to the hospital right now, your blood tests are indicating your kidneys are failing.’ That was a big shock, obviously. My girlfriend was in tears.”
Niven being treated in hospital
Niven spent around six days in the hospital, where he underwent numerous examinations and was put on a drip. It was during this time that tests revealed his kidneys were operating at approximately 15 per cent functionality and he was diagnosed with stage four chronic kidney disease. His condition was so severe that doctors couldn’t even perform a biopsy on his kidneys.
Niven, who is now on the waiting list for a new kidney, said he didn’t know what caused of his condition, despite doctors suggesting it might be due to a high-protein diet.
Join our WhatsApp Top Stories and, Breaking News group by clicking this link
He added: “I’m still not 100% sure that’s correct, personally I don’t think that. I wasn’t overly eating protein, it was regular. I’d have it with every meal, I’d have like eggs or the usual healthy stuff like chicken and at tea it’d be meat.
“I wasn’t having protein shakes, I don’t have protein shakes, I’d rather eat whole, natural foods. The shock of the gout was one thing, and then I had a kidney biopsy and they said ‘yeah, your kidneys are in that bad of a condition we can’t get a sample to test it’.”
Dieticians have advised Niven, an electrical and air conditioning engineer, to avoid dark-coloured fizzy drinks and red meat, and to reduce his salt intake. He is now awaiting a pre-transplant assessment scheduled for February, hoping to find a donor match to avoid the need for lengthy weekly dialysis sessions.
A passionate runner, Niven has completed marathons in Manchester and Barcelona and plans to run the 2025 London Marathon for Kidney Care UK, inspired by his mother Susan’s own kidney battles.
He said: “My mum’s had two kidney transplants. I’ve seen her go through it all and seeing my mum go through that was a horrible experience, that was really eye-opening. To hear I’m going to have to go through it all, being in shock wasn’t the word.”
Keen runner, Niven, has raised over £3,000 for charity
Niven has impressively managed to raise over £3,000 for the charity. Beyond continuing his job and training hard for the marathon, Niven faces the daily challenge of managing symptoms that leave him tired and in pain.
He added: “I do get fatigued quite easily, now I’m working all day then I’m going to the gym and having a run so that does also have an effect, so it’s hard to pinpoint that directly on the kidneys.
“I have kidney pains, so my lower back where the kidneys are located, some days it’s really painful, almost like a dead leg but in your kidneys, a really dull, long pain, but I just kind of get on with it.”
Those who wish to donate to Niven’s fundraiser can do so here.