Fighting a constant battle for life, Umair Shafique has been in and out of hospitals nearly all his life. It all began when he was only 4. Back then, it was the first time he was admitted to a hospital but 20 years along the line, Shafique continues to suffer from his chronic kidney disease.
Shafique was first admitted to the hospital in 2001. Back then, the was a lack of knowledge and research on what caused stones in the kidney. Later in 2007, he had his first major surgery. A 27 mm stone was removed from the left kidney. However, even then nobody knew what caused it.
In 2009 and the following year, he was constantly in and out of the hospital for the treatment known as Lithotripsy. In this procedure, ultrasound shock waves are typically used to break the kidney stone into small particles so that can be passed out by the body. Unfortunately, in 2014 Shafique had a road accident wherein he broke his thigh leg. He stayed in a hospital bed for 3 months.
Two years back in 2019, Shafique was again admitted to the hospital for the stones. The doctors suggested him to have open kidney surgery. Subsequently, the first surgery took place in March that year, and it took 7 hours for the doctors to remove the stones from just one kidney.
Meanwhile, the second surgery was scheduled for September 2019 and it was then done in stages. He went to the operation room two times in two weeks. However, even after the surgeries when he could not recover, Shafique was left heartbroken.
His kidneys then completely failed
It has been one and a half years that Shafique is on dialysis. For 20 years, nobody knew that he had faulty liver which caused this. Dialysis is now required three times a week to keep him alive. Shafique was diagnosed with Primary Hyperoxaluria Type 1. It is a rare disease in which a mutation was found in his gene.
The doctors have now advised him to go for a liver and kidney combined transplant otherwise it may turn into life-ending cancer. Shafique is so consumed by his weakness that he now has difficulty standing up and even going to the washroom. It is a difficult procedure but very crucial for him to regain his health.
However, Shafique has always been motivated. He even completed his degree in information technology. In fact, he has been doing freelancing since 2016 and is working enthusiastically despite facing a huge health challenge. Moreover, his workspace is not his home but the hospital where he spent four hours, three times a week.
Watch him appealing for himself in a video
Shafique is an inspiration for many who suffer from dialysis. But he still needs your help.
You can help and make a difference in his life. He still needs a long way to go and needs your support. Please contribute to his GoFundMe campaign. A young Pakistani boy is running a similar campaign for his mother with cancer.
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