A BOURNEMOUTH man was rushed into the ICU and diagnosed with kidney failure just hours after complaining of chest pain and breathing difficulties.

Ben Smedley, 22, lives in Bournemouth with his mum Deborah, dad Darren and younger sister Lucy.

In March earlier this year, his world was turned upside down when he suddenly became seriously unwell.

(Image: Ben Smedley)

Ben was diagnosed with acute renal failure with 3% kidney function and a rare form of vasculitis called Takayasu Arteritis which has caused him to go through multiple stages of dialysis.

Speaking on his diagnosis, Ben said: “It was March 9, I just wasn't feeling well at all.

“My mum was really concerned because I just couldn't breathe properly and had a tight chest.

“So we called 111 and the woman advised us to go to A&E and we were in the waiting room for less than an hour.

“I had my blood pressure taken and it was alarmingly high, at one point it was 200 over 110. So they rushed me into a room and took my blood pressure every hour.

“The doctors were shocked and were trying to get me through to the ICU as quickly as they could which was surreal.

“This all happened in the space of four to five hours, it was very fast and scary.”

Ben spent weeks in hospital and ten days into his admission, his body started to shut down and his liver started to fail.

His mum, Deborah Smedley said: “We nearly lost him and it was the darkest time of our lives. Thank goodness our boy put up a fight and slowly his liver started to recover.

“Our hope for Ben is a kidney transplant, which will be his only chance of a 'normal' life.

“Until that time Ben had to continue with gruelling sessions of kidney dialysis, 4-hour sessions, three times a week, even on his birthday he was at dialysis.

“It has been the most awful time for Ben and our whole family.

“His young life has been taken away from him.”

Now, a crowdfunder has been set up by Ben’s family while Ben is undergoing treatment.

Donations can be made to the Crowdfunder titled: “Ben's 'Keep it Renal' Fundraiser”.