By Lily Canter- Chronicle Reporter A MOTHER-OF-TWO from Northampton is running the London Marathon to raise awareness about a rare kidney disorder affecting her six-month-old baby. Sarah German, aged 29 from Kingsley, Northampton, is hoping to raise more than £1,000 for the National Kidney Research Fund when she paces the streets of the capital next spring. She decided to take part in the grueling 26-mile run after her daughter Katie was diagnosed with a multicystic dysplastic kidney. This means she has one normal kidney but the other is made up of a mass of cysts and tissue. Although her body can function with one kidney, Katie will have to have the diseased one removed when she is inn her teens. Her father, Ben German, said Katie was diagnosed while his wife was pregnant. The 28-year-old web designer said: "Before this happened we knew nothing about kidney illnesses and it was the not knowing that was difficult. That is why we want to raise a bit more awareness." When Katie was first born she was taken to and from Northampton General Hospital and a specialist unit in Leicester Royal Infirmary for tests and treatment. Doctors tested her to see if the diseased kidney could be susceptible to infection. Her father explained that this was a very worrying time and added: "It if gets infected it is all down hill from there. Fortunately the test came back positive meaning she was alright and she could come off the antibiotics." Mrs German, who works as an administrator in Northampton Magistrates Court, is now keen to help kidney research. Statistics estimate that one in 10 people in the UK have chronic kidney disease. Mrs German, who also has a two-year- old son called Zackery, added: "People like Katie who are born with kidney problems and those who develop them later in life deserve better treatment and care than is available "The people at the National Kidney Research Fund do a great job at the moment but they need help to do better." To sponsor Mrs German log onto www.run4katie.org

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