Young researcher joins her childhood doctor in fight against rare kidney disease
A biomedical sciences student at the University of Derby has reconnected with her childhood renal consultant, supporting research into the rare autoimmune disease which hospitalised her at nine years old.
Poppy Lowens, 20, has written her bachelor’s degree dissertation on the causes of immunoglobulin A (IgA) vasculitis – the same disease she endured as a child – and is supporting paediatric research on the condition, being conducted by Dr Louise Oni.
In 2013, Poppy was placed under the care of Dr Louise Oni when a throat infection triggered IgA vasculitis, a disorder which can cause small blood vessels, including those in the kidney, to become inflamed. Now, a decade later, Poppy is supporting a project, led by Dr Louise Oni and funded by medical charities - LifeArc and Kidney Research UK.
Poppy says: “It’s amazing to be in touch with Dr Louise Oni and her team after all this time. They are amazing people, continuing to do amazing work, including trying to find a way to prevent kidney damage caused by IgA vasculitis.
“There is not enough information about the disease yet, even ten years on from when I became unwell. I want to support the LifeArc-Kidney Research UK Centre for Rare Kidney Diseases by sharing my perspective as a patient and being part of research about the long-term effects of IgA vasculitis. Hopefully one day when I finish my degree, I will be able to do my own research to help make a difference.”
Childhood disease
Poppy was nine years old when she was left in a huge amount of pain by what seemed to be a stomach bug. Within a few days, she had developed a rash and began to vomit, prompting her mum to take her to hospital.
Poppy says: “My rash didn’t disappear under pressure and there were fears that I had meningitis. Doctors suspected this was the case, but it turned out to be IgA vasculitis which was trigged by Group A streptococcal infections. I was referred to Alder Hey Children’s Hospital in Liverpool, where Dr Louise Oni was my renal consultant.
“Usually, IgA vasculitis goes away on its own or with the aid of antibiotics, but I had reoccurrences which lasted a year. At the time I didn’t understand how severe it was, and my parents tried to play it down so that I wasn’t as scared. I missed a lot of school but thankfully I had supportive friends and was able to catch up on my learning.
“The most frightening part was that, on one occasion, I lost my eyesight for several hours. That was terrifying, and I also had to deal with symptoms of arthritis and being sick because of gastrointestinal issues.
“Even now, I still have some long-lasting effects. My immune system is suppressed and I have reduced kidney function. That means I get poorly more easily and find it more difficult to fight off illnesses. I also still have some arthritis.”
Finding answers
Poppy’s experiences have motivated her to pursue a degree in biomedical sciences and become involved in research.
Poppy says: “I want to help find ways to prevent and better treat IgA vasculitis in children. It’s such a rare disease, so it has proved difficult for researchers to learn enough about it over the years.
“It will be hard to prevent IgA vasculitis completely, but research, like Dr Louise Oni’s study, could help us predict which patients are at risk of kidney damage. That would help us towards preventing chronic kidney disease in children with IgA vasculitis.
“There also needs to be more understanding about the long-term effects of this disease, and I hope I can support with that too.”
Find out more about the research we’re funding.
Have you been diagnosed with kidney disease?
Request your free Kidney Kit today.
You'll find tips and support from kidney patients, delicious recipes, simple exercise plans and more.
Why not make a donation now?
Every £ counts towards transforming treatments for people living with kidney disease.