We recently sent out our latest issue, and included a letter to our loyal subscribers, just to update on where we are, and what's been going on recently!
We thought we'd share that letter here for everyone.
Dear Reader!
We just wanted to drop a note with this delivery to thank you for your patience and support. We’re really pleased to finally get Issue 8 of Volume 2 out to you.
The majority of the work for Shift is done by myself – it involves working with the amazing creators, getting pieces aligned and ready to go and actually putting together and producing the end product that you read (yes - blame me if the page numbers are wrong or there are spelling mistakes)! It’s a pleasure to do, but also means that the schedule can be affected by personal life…
In September 2022, my daughter was admitted to hospital unexpectedly – she was a healthy, happy and vibrant 9 year old. After medical investigation, we were told as parents the devasting news that she had Chronic Kidney Disease (Nephrotic Syndrome). Unfortunately, her condition worsened very quickly and reached End Stage Kidney Failure within a couple of months. The decision was made that to ‘save her life’, dialysis was our only option, which she started in January 2023.
Our next mission was finding a donor. Initial tests found that my wife and I were ‘good’ suitable matches for transplant. The months went by with testing, consultations, legal paperwork and everything in between! In November 2023, my kidney was transplanted into my beautiful daughter, the coming weeks were some of the most challenging.
It is important to share that although there is no cure, this is an amazing alternative treatment to dialysis and we hold hope that it lasts as long as possible. I am happy to say she is doing exceptionally well, and she’s back to school. After a fairly long recovery period - 3 months directed by the medical team - I’m back at work as well.
As you can imagine, the last year and a half has seen our lives flipped upside down as a family. We are hopeful that advances in medical research mean that in time other families will not have to live through the same experience and a cure can be found.
We will be forever grateful to the medical teams at Royal Surrey County Hospital and the specialists at Evelina Children’s Hospital for all their care and ongoing medical life-long support for our daughter.
So now we’re back to publishing! The remaining couple of issues of the volume will follow in due course. You’re getting your subscriber copies in advance, and we’ll be back on newsstands shortly. Then we’ve got lots of exciting stuff to share with you!
We’ve just added a bundle of our recent SHIFT Presents titles, which you may not have seen, to our site – Sherlock Holmes and the Empire Builders, Odd John and Mr Custa!
If you’d like to support in any way, we’ve been looked after by the amazing Ronald McDonald House (round up the bill when you get your takeaway!) and the Evelina Hospital Charity. This summer, our whole family, along with friends and extended family are doing the London Bridges 7-Mile Walk in aid of Kidney Research UK, and we’d welcome any sponsorship!
https://kidneyresearchuk.enthuse.com/pf/naia-s-ninja-s
Thank you again for your support, and we hope you enjoy the latest issue!
Adrian Clarke