Riley Turnbull, a once-active typical teen from Mount Gambier in rural South Australia, was about to begin an unexpected odyssey. As gentle as he was, he fought valiantly with kidney failure. At first, his symptoms included extreme insomnia, ongoing exhaustion, and copious thirst. It was during a routine preparation for a soccer game that he received the news that would change his life forever.
After weeks of putting off a trip to the clinic, Riley finally got a routine blood test. The tests showed that his kidneys were only working at 25 percent. This shocking discovery motivated him to pursue active treatment immediately. He flew down to Adelaide in a hurry to begin haemodialysis.
The Struggles of Kidney Failure
Riley’s health declined quickly, leading Riley and his family to make the 70-day round trip as long as it took. During the next five years, he had to have eight different procedures just to try and manage his worsening kidney function. His health suffered severely, with his kidney function plunging to a low of 8 percent. Our luck was that he received a kidney transplant in 2021.
Reflecting on his ordeal, Riley stated, “I had a biopsy and found out both my kidneys were 95 percent scarred and that I had stage three kidney failure.” He described how the previous year had been progressively challenging, stating, “Throughout last year I was going OK once I found out, having regular appointments, and then I slowly got worse and worse.”
Through every one of these challenges, Riley was unwavering in his optimism about the future. He hopes to travel around Australia with his girlfriend next year and still dreams of getting back into sports one day. “I just can’t wait to have life back, work properly and not have to worry about being stuck on dialysis,” he said.
Advocacy for Organ Donation
Having been through it all, Riley has taken on the role of organ and tissue donation advocate in Mount Gambier. He teams up with Danni Horton, another transplant advocate who details her own inspiring transplant journey. As an industry, they are committed to spreading the word on the vital need for organ donation. They highlight the importance of communicating one’s desires to family members.
Riley emphasized the significance of organ donation by stating, “It’s not just important for people like me receiving organs, but you can donate most parts of your body.” He added, “It’s a really good thing to give someone a second chance at life like my donor gave me.”
Amanda Stewart, another prominent community advocate, reinforced the call for open dialogues regarding organ donation. She noted, “There’s a taboo around death and dying, but it’s as simple as having a discussion around what your wishes are.” She reinforced the importance of registering one’s wishes online, explaining that doing so alleviates burdens on family members during difficult times. “If you’ve had the conversation and gone online and registered, then that burden is relieved for them.”
The Road Ahead
Riley’s journey, through giving him a different outlook on life, has helped change those around him. His passion, resilience and determination have earned him the deep appreciation and admiration of his peers and the community he serves. Donors have had a huge impact on the life of Danni Horton, who spoke on the panel. Looking back on this year’s gala, we are eternally grateful to these donors for making it happen! They’ve made a difference for my family, not only for me,” she added.
As Riley is still recovering from his transplant, he is very much looking toward the future. He dreams of getting back to his former, active self and playing the sports he used to love. Having lived with illness most of my life, most people had only ever known me like that. Now, being vibrant and able to pursue a more active lifestyle feels downright amazing! Horton continued.
