Peterborough man who had kidney transplant hopes to raise thousands at London Marathon

Chris Bunce, 54, is hoping to raise £5,000 by running the TCS London Marathon for the UK’s leading kidney patient support charity, Kidney Care UK on Sunday, April 26.

Chris has a rare type of kidney disease called autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD). It is a genetic condition that causes cysts to develop in the kidneys and liver.

The cysts are not cancerous and the fluid inside them is harmless, but as these cysts grow over the years, they can damage healthy kidney tissue and enlarge the kidneys. This makes it hard for the kidneys to filter the blood properly and can eventually result in kidney failure. The cysts can be as small as a pea or as large as a grapefruit; the condition affects around 1 in 2,000 people in the UK.

Sadly many members of his family have ADPKD, and Christopher’s ADPKD caused his kidneys to fail in August 2022, and he was on dialysis for six months before receiving a double kidney transplant in April 2023.

He has spent the last two years working back to full fitness and vowed to run the London Marathon as part of his recovery. He also managed to squeeze in the small matter of proposing to his now-wife Jo and getting married in November 2024. Chris said: ​"I’ve gone from being restricted to drinking just one litre of fluid a day on dialysis to training for the greatest marathon on earth. This run is for my grandfather, my mum, my brother, and my son—but most of all, it's a thank you to the donor family who gave me a second chance. I’m running so that Kidney Care UK can ensure no one else has to face this journey alone."

Thursday, March 12 was World Kidney Day, which aims to shine a spotlight on conditions that affect more than seven million people in the UK alone.

To find out more about how you can support Christopher please visit https://2026tcslondonmarathon.enthuse.com/pf/chris-bunce