Family devastated by kidney disease join major charity walk
A woman from Kent is determined to create a better future for kidney patients, after being diagnosed with a genetic form of kidney disease which has affected multiple generations of her family.
Theresa Moynihan was in her twenties when her mother was diagnosed with polycystic kidney disease (PKD) - a condition that has since been identified in many family members. For Theresa, it meant spending several years on dialysis before receiving a kidney transplant in 2022.
Now 69, Theresa is preparing to take part in the Kidney Research UK London Bridges Walk, alongside hundreds of supporters raising funds for research into kidney disease.
Theresea says: “I have seen the impact that advances in research, such as the introduction of Tolvaptan to treat PKD, has had for patients, including my own daughter, Anna, in slowing the decline of kidney function. More research to improve these treatments and find cures would be incredible.”
While Tolvaptan can help slow disease progression, its side effects can be significant and challenging for some patients. This highlights the urgent need for new treatment options that are more effective and better tolerated.
At Kidney Research UK, we continue to support research into better treatments for PKD, including the work of Professor Colin A Johnson and researchers at the University of Leeds and University of Sheffield: Research looking at repurposing drugs to treat polycystic kidney disease shows promising new results - Kidney Research UK
On Saturday 4 July, Theresa will join the Kidney Research UK London Bridges Walk, which starts at 11am from Potters Field Park. Participants can choose between a two- or seven-mile route, and places are still available.
A diagnosis that affected the whole family
Theresa first learned she had PKD in the 1980s after her mother was diagnosed with the condition.
She says: “The doctor told Mum the condition was hereditary and recommended the whole family were tested. I had 12 siblings, but none of us were displaying symptoms. Some decided not to be tested at that time, but I was. I was told I had PKD, but as I didn’t have any issues, I just ignored it.”
Eventually, eight of Theresa’s siblings were also diagnosed with PKD. Theresa remained well for many years, and it was not until after the birth of her first child in 1985 that she began to experience symptoms, such as abdominal pain and sickness. Meanwhile, both her mother and elder sister had received successful transplants.
For many years, Theresa’s kidney disease progressed slowly. She raised three children, worked for her brother-in-law's flooring company, and stayed busy. But by 2015, she began experiencing more infections and pain.
Theresa says: “During one appointment, the consultant turned his screen around and showed me a graph. My kidneys were failing and I was heading towards dialysis.”
Life on dialysis
In 2017, Theresa joined the transplant waiting list and began dialysis. Initially having automated peritoneal dialysis overnight at home, before switching to continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis, with 40-minute sessions, four times a day. Repeated infections then meant that, in 2020, she had to start haemodialysis at Guy's Hospital, three times a week, followed by home haemodialysis, four times a week.
During her five years on dialysis, Theresa received three calls about potential kidney transplants that did not go ahead. She says: “Dialysis was a drag, time consuming and isolating. Waiting so long for a transplant was hard.”
Eventually, in 2022, Theresa received the call she had been waiting for and the transplant was successful, giving her something she had been missing for years – her freedom.
Theresa says: “For the first time in years, my husband and I could travel again. We kept it simple the first time – the Dutch coast. But since then, we've done several trips to Europe, and recently South Africa and Sri Lanka. I am eternally grateful to my donor for the gift of a better life without dialysis and I’m making the most of my time of wellness.”
London Bridges Walk
Today, Theresa still gets breathless and continues to take anti-rejection medication, but she says the transplant has transformed her life. So much so that she’s set herself the challenge of completing the Kidney Research UK London Bridges Walk, after seeing it promoted on social media.
Theresa says: "I thought, it's beside the river, on the flat. It's seven miles, so maybe I should be able to do that. My husband will be there and I've got a few people who will meet me at certain points and walk with me. My youngest brother had kidney cancer and died in 2001, at 40. His partner and friends will be supporting me on the walk or through sponsorship.”
Kidney disease continues to affect Theresa’s family; her two eldest daughters have PKD, and her middle daughter experienced two serious infections in 2025. The eldest is now taking the medication, Tolvaptan, which slows cyst growth and declining kidney function.
Theresa says: “When mum and I were diagnosed, they didn’t have these medications. I really support the work that’s being done to fund research.”
For Theresa, taking part in the Bridges Walk is a way of supporting the search for better outcomes for future generations. And when it comes to completing seven miles at the age of 69, she has a simple answer:
"Can I do it? For Kidney Research UK, yes I can."
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