Ryan Wheeler

16 year old Ryan is captain of the school football team. He is very popular at school, into football and clubbing. Because of his popularity, good looks, sense of humour and natural ability at football – most things have come easy for Ryan. But Ryan’s whole world is turned upside down overnight when he experiences kidney failure and has to go on dialysis.


Gemma Lewis

Gemma goes to the same school as Ryan. She is in the year above. Gemma has always been an outsider and at school has become known as a bit of an oddball.  This has not been helped by the fact that she has suffered from kidney failure (due to her diabetes), which means she has to have dialysis regularly. She’s not into football or clubbing.  She has become involved in animal rights and in her free time helps out at an animal sanctuary.  While Gemma is very definitely not a girlie girl, she is very definitely not unattractive.  That said, because of her condition she lacks confidence in attracting members of the opposite sex. 


Dr Angela Mayhew

Doctor Mayhew is Ryan and Gemma’s consultant. She relates very well to her patients and takes a personal interest in their lives wherever possible. She is a highly motivated professional, ambitious in the sense that she wants to find cures or solutions to make the lives of her patients easier.

Sally Wheeler

Ryan’s mother Sally is widowed.  Her husband died from a heart attack when Ryan was very young. Sally is a good mother to Ryan, whom she adores. As a result of having to deal with the early loss of her husband and bringing up a child as single mother, she has grown into a strong, confident woman. However, the changes in Ryan’s life as a result of his kidney failure have put her under considerable strain.

	For further information about this project, email our Tour Producer David Jackson