The Kidney Foundation’s annual Kidney Walk helps raise funds and hope for people living with kidney disease, people like Ashley Poole.
Poole was diagnosed with end-stage kidney disease 10 days before her 27th birthday in 2015 and was told she urgently needed a kidney transplant. She was put on dialysis while her parents got tested to see if they could donate a kidney to their daughter. In 2016 Poole received great news, her dad, Ron, was a perfect match and that spring donated one of his kidneys to his daughter. Since then, Ashley and her dad have become very involved with The Kidney Foundation, including participating at the Kidney Walk with their team, “Renal Renegades,” and raising thousands for the cause.
“I am part of the Kidney Walk because I believe education and awareness about kidney disease and organ donation is so important,” says Poole. “When I was diagnosed with kidney failure I had no knowledge of anything kidney related. The Kidney Foundation has personally helped me so much, I have seen the miracles and support they provide and I want to be part of the reason they are able to help so many people living with kidney disease.”
One-in-10 Canadians has kidney disease but most don’t know it yet. Kidney disease has no cure and is under-recognized, and undetectable in early stages. A kidney transplant is often a kidney patient’s best hope for a better quality of life, yet almost 50 per cent of the people on the waitlist for a kidney transplant will die waiting. The Kidney Foundation is on a mission to change this and the annual Kidney Walk campaign is helping in the fight against kidney disease - one step at a time.
“It is really heartwarming to see a community like Campbell River come together like this and rally in support of kidney patients – it truly means the world to them.
The Kidney Walk could not happen without the tremendous support of thousands of volunteers, donors and sponsors, and it is thanks to them that The Kidney Walk has grown to become one of our biggest success stories,” says Marie Hesse, Director, Community Initiatives at the BC & Yukon Branch.
On Sept. 23, thousands of British Columbians will participate in the Kidney Walk in 15 communities across the province, and here in Campbell River the Kidney Walk will take place at Frank James Park.
For more information on the Kidney Walk or to register, please go to kidneywalk.ca.