Paul Daniels' Doncaster grandson takes on charity challenge after kidney donation

The Doncaster grandson of TV magician Paul Daniels is set to take on a charity challenge after receiving a life-saving kidney donation from his own mum.
Watch more of our videos on Shots! 
and live on Freeview channel 276
Visit Shots! now

Lewis Daniels, a 21-year-old university student and magician, is taking on the 2.6 Challenge to raise money for Kidney Research UK and said: “Their research is lifesaving.

“Thanks to research I have a better quality of life, the life somebody my age hoped to have, rather than being hooked up to dialysis machine for hours each week.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Lewis, from Haxey, has followed in the footsteps of his late grandad and dad Martin in performing magic – but his mum Jo performed the greatest trick – by donating him a kidney.

Lewis Daniels with late grandad, TV magician Paul Daniels (Photo: Twitter/@LewisDaniels25)Lewis Daniels with late grandad, TV magician Paul Daniels (Photo: Twitter/@LewisDaniels25)
Lewis Daniels with late grandad, TV magician Paul Daniels (Photo: Twitter/@LewisDaniels25)

During his first year at the University of Liverpool, he started getting severe cramps in his legs.

Doctors discovered his blood pressure was sky high and his kidney function was dangerously low and further tests eventually showed he had IgA nephropathy, a type of disease that meant his kidneys would eventually fail completely.

Both parents stepped forward as potential kidney donors and with his mum the best match, the transplant took place in July 2019.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

He has put his physiotherapy studies on hold for a year, to give himself time to recover from the operation and is currently self isolating with his dad in Haxey.

“In a way I’ve already trained for lockdown,” he said. “When I had my transplant I had to stay home a lot, and I was very wary of other people coughing, sneezing and having contact. With a transplant, you have another shot at life. We’ll all been through tough times once, we’ll do it again to carry on with this second chance that we’ve been given.”

The 2.6 Challenge has been launched to help charities whose income has taken a devastating hit, due to the coronavirus pandemic.

What does he have lined up ready for the 2.6 Challenge? You’ll have to watch him on Twitter to find out: @LewisDaniels25.

He said: “I’d like everyone to take up this challenge and be as generous as possible because donations can help Kidney Research UK in the real magic of saving lives.”

Related topics: