New Delhi: Australian all-rounder and Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) star batter Cameron Green has opened up about his life-long battle with chronic kidney disease. The all-rounder also revealed that he was diagnosed at birth, which gives him a grim prognosis that he might not live past the age of 12. However, the 24-year-old star batter shared his fighting and inspiring journey, as now he is an important part of the Australian men’s cricket team across all formats.
In the 2023 Indian Premier League (IPL) auction, Green was the subject of an intense bidding war, eventually being acquired by the Mumbai Indians (MI) for a staggering INR 17.5 crore.
This made him the second most expensive overseas player in IPL history, only behind Sam Curran who was bought by Punjab Kings (PBKS) for INR 18.5 crore purchase in the 2023 edition.
He played in 16 matches throughout the season, showcasing glimpses of his talent but struggling to find consistent form. He amassed 452 runs at an average of 50.22 with a blistering strike rate of 160.28 in the 2023 edition. He also smashed a hundred and two-half centuries.
My parents got told when I was born that I had chronic kidney disease, basically, there are no symptoms. It just got picked up from the ultrasound,” said Green in an interview with 7Cricket.
“Chronic kidney disease is a progressive disease of your kidney’s health function, and unfortunately, mine doesn’t filter the blood as well as other kidneys. They are about 60 per cent of the moment, which is stage two time, he said.
Cameron Green is suffering from Chronic Kidney Disease.
Wishing him a speedy recovery…!!!pic.twitter.com/NrcprtygN4
— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) December 14, 2023
His mother, Bee Tracey said, “I was at a 19-week scan. They picked up that he had a thick thickening of the bladder and said it was a urethral valve blockage that the urine just back flows to the kidneys and they wouldn’t develop properly. So it was quite a shock.”
Green’s father Gary Green further revealed, “It was unchartered territory as such. The prognosis wasn’t great and there were life expectancy issues that you might not expect to live past 12 years of age.”
“I just felt it was the right time. With the profile I have at the moment if I can help even one person or bring awareness to it, it’s worthwhile”, said Green before the first Test against Pakistan.
The Aussie all-rounder was in the news recently after he was traded from Mumbai Indian to Royal Challengers Bangalore ahead of the IPL 2024 retention deadline. It will be interesting to see whether Green will be part of the upcoming 2024 edition or if he opts out of the tournament.
