Australia all-rounder Cameron Green has revealed that he was born with an irreversible chronic kidney disease, which, at one point, placed his life expectancy at 12 years. The lanky all-rounder, a crucial member of the Australia cricket team, explained that the disease exhibits no symptoms and is irreversible.
“My parents were informed when I was born that I had chronic kidney disease. Basically, there are no symptoms; it was detected through ultrasounds,” Green shared with Channel 7. “Chronic kidney disease is essentially a progressive deterioration of your kidney’s health function. Unfortunately, mine don’t filter the blood as effectively as other kidneys.”
The 24-year-old disclosed that his kidney function is currently at about 60 percent, classified as stage two, with stage five requiring either a transplant or dialysis. “Fortunately, I’m at stage two, but without proper care, it can easily regress. Kidneys can’t improve; it’s irreversible. So, any way to slow the progression is what I try to do.” The condition was identified during Green’s mother Tarcy’s 19-week pregnancy scan. “At the time, it was uncharted territory; the prognosis wasn’t optimistic. There were concerns about life expectancy, suggesting he might not live past 12 years of age,” explained Green’s father, Gary.
The fast-bowling all-rounder, who has participated in 24 Tests, 23 ODIs, and eight T20Is since his Australia debut in 2020, acknowledged that the disease impacts his cricketing career as he is more prone to cramps.
“I have to keep my salt and protein intake quite low, which isn’t ideal for a cricketer. However, around games, I can increase my protein intake because I spend a considerable amount of time out on the ground. It’s just about finding the best ways to take care of myself.”
He recalled an incident during an ODI against New Zealand in Cairns last year, where he experienced cramping due to the disease while batting.
