Cameron Green: Australia’s fast-bowling all-rounder Cameron Green has revealed about him managing to play professional cricket with a chronic kidney disease. He added that he was diagnosed with the condition on his birth, with doctors saying his life expectancy was just till 12 years.
“My parents got told when I was born that I had 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’re at about 60% at the moment which is stage two. 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,” said Green to Channel 7.
Green, 24, isn’t in Australia’s playing eleven for the opening Test of their international men’s summer against Pakistan at the Optus Stadium in Perth, but has managed to be a constant figure in the side across all formats.
“My parents got told when I was younger that I could be pretty small. Which is pretty funny to look back on now (after standing at six feet and six inches). With chronic kidney disease there’s five stages, with stage one being the least severe, and stage five being transplant or dialysis.”
“Fortunately, I’m stage two, but if you don’t look after them enough, it goes back down. Kidneys can’t get better. It’s irreversible. So anything you can do to slow the progression, you basically try and do,” he added.
Green’s mother Bee Tracey said she was “scared” when the problem was first spotted on an ultrasound during her pregnancy. “I was at my 19-week scan and they picked up that he had thickening of his bladder, they said it was a urethral valve blockage where the urine basically backflows to the kidneys and they wouldn’t develop properly, so it was quite a shock.”
His father Gary said, “At the time it was uncharted territory as such, the prognosis wasn’t great. There were life-expectancy issues that he might not expect to live past 12 years of age.”
Green said he has successfully managed his kidney issue, including with help from a nutritionist and a specialised renal nutritionist. But there was an instance of him experiencing severe cramping, which could be linked to the chronic kidney issue.
In an ODI for Australia against New Zealand in Cairns in September 2022, Green made 89 not out in a successful run chase after bowling five overs and fielding in the full innings, but experienced severe cramping during batting.
“I think it was pretty well documented that I had a pretty long day of bowling and a pretty long bat as well, and then had a cramping episode. 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 said it took him time to reveal about his conditions to the Australia team-mates and coaching staff. “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.”
Green has now gone public about his chronic kidney condition with the hope that his story will help other people and their families suffering from this disease. “I think it’s really important to speak out about what I’ve got. If there’s one person out there who potentially might get helped by me speaking out then it’s definitely worthwhile.”
