Australian all-rounder Cameron Green revealed that he has been suffering from long-time kidney disease.
The all-rounder was born with the chronic disease and had a life expectancy of just 12. But the headstrong cricketer, who has hardly shared this with anyone, has managed the issue with grace throughout his career.
The 24 year old in an emotional conversation revealed to the Channel 7 network that he has been dealing with it his entire life and hasn't even discussed it with team-mates or friends.
'My parents got told when I was born that I had a chronic kidney disease. Basically, there's no symptoms, it was just picked up through ultrasounds.
'Chronic kidney disease is basically a progressive disease of your kidney's health function. Unfortunately, mine doesn't filter the blood as well as other kidneys. They are at about 60% at the moment which is stage two,' Green, who has been signed on by the Royal Challengers Bangalore for IPL 2024. said.
'I consider myself very lucky that I'm not as affected physically by chronic kidney disease as other people who are affected by the same thing. With chronic kidney disease there's five stages, with stage one with the least severe and stage five being transplant or dialysis,' he added.
'Fortunately, I'm stage two. But if you don't look after them enough, it goes back down,' Green said.
'Kidneys can't get better. It's irreversible. So anything you can do to slow the progression, you basically try and do.'
Green's mother Bee Tracey revealed that the doctors detected the condition when she had a 19-week pregnancy scan.
'At the time it was uncharted territory as such, the prognosis wasn't great,' his dad Gary Green said. 'There were life expectancy issues that he might not expect to live past twelve years of age.'
'We're very proud of him, a very difficult scenario to deal with and although seemingly it hasn't affected him that much to the outside world we're well aware of it and it's clearly a challenge when he was very young. These days it very different, its very manageable,' Gary Green added.
'We want people to appreciate that you can do anything in life. Doesn't matter what the hold ups or what you've been dealt in life, that you've still got to continue and that you can still achieve,' Bee Tracey stated.
Shedding light on how the disease has impacted his playing career, Cameron Green revealed that only once had he experienced discomfort. The episode happened during Australia's ODI against New Zealand in Cairns last year.
Having bowling five overs and fielded the entire first innings, Green, who struck 89 not out in the chase, had severe cramping.
'It took me a long time to realise that it was probably my kidney function that was affecting my cramping.
'I always thought I didn't drink enough, didn't eat enough, didn't look after myself during the game as well as I could have, but I think over time I realised that I was doing absolutely everything right, but I was still cramping unfortunately,' Green recalled.
Green's disease hadn't been discussed in the Australian dressing room, but the all-rounder said the coaching staff are well aware of his condition. 'I have told a few guys in the cricket world. The coaching staff are all over it. I think all the guys in the Aussie cricket team, I've told.'
'After a few cramping episodes, I probably had to come off and tell them that it's probably more than not being professional enough because I knew in the background I was eating and drinking as much as I could to give myself the best chance.'
