Teenager with Rare Conditions Commits to Paramedic Training

Charley, a 17-year-old from Darlington who was born with four kidneys, has stated her intention to “give back” to the community as a trainee paramedic. She has a rare congenital condition, which means she possesses two functioning kidneys and two additional, golf ball-sized kidneys that are not fully formed. The Darlington College student was inspired to begin a paramedic apprenticeship at Teesside University, motivated by the positive treatment she has received from others, which she wishes to reciprocate. “I’ve always been in the back of an ambulance so this time, I want to be in the front of the one,” she remarked. The teenager also has Madelung’s deformity, another rare condition that affects the bones in her wrists and forearms. She has undergone 10 operations to date and recounted being told that her connecting tubes once “looked like spaghetti junction.” Speaking to BBC Radio Tees, she explained, “Having four kidneys isn’t so much a problem now I’m older, it’s more the bone condition I have.” She also mentioned that she might require additional time to complete university exams and that the condition causes her to “ache from time to time.” “I just want to help people and give back,” Charley affirmed. “People have treated me really well and I want to treat other people really well.” She further expressed a desire to inspire others and “prove people wrong,” adding, “People will tell us that we can’t do things like this but in the end we actually can.”