Five years ago, on his return from holiday in Vietnam, Emrose was admitted to St George’s with pneumonia. Within a week, he was diagnosed with serious kidney failure.

Emrose, now 34, lives in Streatham with his wife and three young daughters. He said: “When I was first diagnosed, it was really stressful; my eldest daughter was only nine months old. I’d previously been very active; balancing working in the city with family commitments and so being connected to huge machines on dialysis was quite overwhelming.”

“Throughout my condition, my wife has been my rock. In the early days, we also had helpful advice from the St George’s Kidney Patients Association as I needed to follow a special diet.”

It took four and half years for Emrose to receive a new kidney; family members volunteered to donate but weren’t suitable. The call finally came in late 2018, at which point Emrose and his family rushed to St George’s where the donor kidney was assessed as a perfect match.

“The operation happened that same day and was a success. The team at St George’s and Colliers Wood helped so much with my recovery and ongoing treatment.”

Emrose is now planning to volunteer with the St George’s Kidney Patient Association to raise awareness about the condition. He said: “There is a lack of awareness about kidney disease, especially in my community, and so I’d like to campaign for better understanding.”

This work is incredibly vital; kidney failure is up to five times more common in people from black, Asian and minority ethnic communities, and patients have to wait up to twice as long for a transplant due to a shortage of donors.

Emrose’s outlook is positive. “When you receive a diagnosis, you can either put your life on hold, or you can try to manage your situation as best you can. I’m looking forward to living my life to the full with my family.”

For more information on the condition, visit St George’s Kidney Patient Association at www.sgkpa.org.uk.