Cardiff Local Guide A guide to all Things Cardiff
Meet Matthew Harris, a man who has raised more than £20,000
for Kidney Wales after his wife became ill with kidney disease.
When Helen, 48, fell pregnant at the age of 25, she and
Matthew were overjoyed at the news they would become parents for the first
time.
But it was during her pregnancy that Helen first discovered
she was suffering from kidney disease.
Fortunately, Helen’s baby remained unaffected by her
condition but over the years her condition deteriorated, until she was put on dialysis
and eventually received a transplant when she was 32.
The new kidney lasted four and a half years before she fell
ill again, and Helen went back on dialysis before receiving her second
transplant aged 40.
Matthew, 49, from Miskin, was prompted to start fundraising
for Kidney Wales after a chance meeting at the Cardiff 10k.
He said: “It was actually at the Cardiff 10k where I first
met Kidney Wales. I spoke to them about my wife’s experiences and it all
started there really.”
Since that meeting, Matthew has been inspired to raise more
than £20,000 for Kidney Wales through several fund raising endeavours including
taking part in the Cardiff 10k year after year.
He said: “I’ve been running the 10k ever since I first got
involved with Kidney Wales. My company, Glamorgan Financial, has put a
corporate team in every year. We aren’t a big company but everyone gets their friends
and family involved and we usually have a team of 15 running including my son, James. I also organise Pontyclun’s Walk
for Life.”
The Walk for Life in Pontyclun originally started with just
Matthew and a few friends and family taking part, but has since grown to
incorporate over 150 people. The Miskin resident said: “It’s grown into a real
community day out. Everyone in the area gets involved. We all get a t-shirt and
everyone raises funds individually. Everything we raise goes to Kidney Wales.”
Matthew credits the work that Kidney Wales does as his
motivation: “It is a brilliant charity. It helps transplant patients and has a
brilliant institute for research at the UHW. But it also does a lot of unseen
work such as helping families financially during dialysis. It truly is a family
charity; everyone knows each other and everyone is close.”
Roy J Thomas, of Kidney Wales, said: “Matthew is an
inspiration. He is always prepared to help others and is a fantastic family
man. The whole family always get behind the charity and fully understand the
severe nature of renal failure.
“I can’t encourage everyone enough to sign up to this year’s
Cardiff 10k – it has become one of the cornerstones of the Foundation’s
fundraising events over the past few years, and this year we are excited to
welcome more runners than ever on the big day!”
This year’s Cardiff
10k, organised by Kidney Wales, takes place on Sunday, September 8.
Registration has opened and you can register at www.cardiff10k.com Its smaller
sibling, the Cardiff 2k, is fast becoming one of the city’s most popular
sporting events for pint-sized competitors!
