Stephen Watson Announced as Ambassador for Northern Ireland Kidney Research Fund

The Northern Ireland Kidney Research Fund is proud to announce BBC Sports presenter Stephen Watson as its newest Ambassador, joining the charity in raising awareness of kidney disease and promoting the importance of research and organ donation.

As the leading voluntary organisation in Northern Ireland dedicated to funding life-saving research into the causes, prevention and possible cures for kidney disease, NIKRF has long supported innovation and progress in renal medicine. The charity also actively advocates for organ donation as a critical part of improving outcomes for those living with kidney failure.

Founded by the late Mrs Josie Kerr MBE, the organisation has worked closely with leading clinicians and researchers at the Renal Unit in the Belfast City Hospital and Queen’s University Belfast for over five decades.

Recently NIKRF committed £600,000 to support medical research into kidney disease at Queen’s University Belfast. This will support scientific and clinical post-doctoral research fellowships helping to strengthen the high-quality kidney research in Northern Ireland.

Stephen Watson, a BBC journalist and Queen’s University politics graduate brings both a high public profile and personal experience to the role. Having undergone two kidney transplants Stephen says:

 “I am delighted to become a new ambassador for NIKRF & help promote the important research the charity funds to continue the fight against renal disease. As someone who has undergone two kidney transplants I know first-hand the life-changing impact of this work.”

Chair of NIKRF, Rev. Jim McCaughan added, “The prevalence of various types of kidney disease has grown considerably in recent years and will continue to do so. With more than 10% of the UK population suffering from chronic kidney disease (CKD), it is now recognised as a public health emergency. Research is essential in order to address this emergency and we are very pleased that Stephen Watson is joining with us to raise awareness of kidney disease and the battle to overcome it.”