Australia all-rounder Cameron Green has revealed he was born with an irreversible chronic kidney disease, which at one stage put his life expectancy at 12 years. The lanky all-rounder, who is a vital part of the Australia cricket team, said that the disease has no symptoms and is irreversible. "My parents got told when I was born that I had chronic kidney disease, basically, there's no symptoms, it was just picked up through ultra sounds," Green told Channel 7.
"Chronic kidney disease is basically a progressive disease of your kidney's health function. Unfortunately, mine don't filter the blood as well as other kidneys." The 24-year-old revealed that his kidney function is currently at about 60 per cent, which is stage two, with stage five needing transplant or dialysis.
"Fortunately, I'm stage two, but if you don't look after them enough, it easily goes back down. Kidneys can't get better. It's irreversible. So any way you can find to slow the progression, you basically try and do." The condition was detected when Green's mother Tarcy had her 19-week pregnancy scan.
"At the time it was unchartered territory as such, the prognosis wasn't great. There were life expectancy issues that he might not expect to live past 12 years of age," said Green's father, Gary.
The fast-bowling all-rounder, who has featured in 24 Tests, 23 ODIs and eight T20Is since making his Australia debut in 2020, said the disease also affects his cricketing career as he is more susceptible to cramps.
"I have got to keep my salt and my protein quite low, which isn't ideal as a cricketer but around games I can pick that protein intake back up because I spend so much of it out on the ground.
"It's just about finding the best ways to look after me." He
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Cameron Green