It's A Nice Day For A Walk

Welcome back Kidney Warriors! It's been a long, rough road of recovery and heartache. After eight weeks it's good to be back to feeling like myself. One of the hardest parts, after this surgery, was contracting pneumonia and being hospitalized for a week just six days after returning home from surgery. This really put me into a tailspin and made me wonder if I ever wanted to go through any of that again. But after two months of reflection, I realized that I needed to pursue getting a kidney transplant. The last month has also been tough with the death of my mentor and friend Kathe. She really me inspired to do the blog and it's been kind of tough writing it without knowing she was there to support me. But today I decided I needed to do in honor my friend. I think she would want me to continue sharing with all of you. I'm not sure how long I will continue but I knew had to finish what I started. 

*My Kidney Walk Team 2013*

I'm going back to where it all started with one of the first blog posts, The Albany Kidney Walk. On June 8th, 2014 The Northeast Kidney Foundation is holding their 11th Annual Kidney Walk/5K Run. This years event is moving back to the SUNY campus in Albany, NY. The SUNY campus allows Northeast Kidney to offer more family fun. Including pony rides, bounce house, and a celebrity dunk tank. The most important part of the Albany Kidney Walk/5K Run is this event is it biggest fundraising event for the Northeast Kidney Foundation. The Northeast Kidney Foundation helps provide:

• Patient assistance programs that help with medical, nutrition and housing needs
•  Free community screenings that can help identify people in early stages of kidney disease – when it’s most treatable
•  Public, patient and professional education
•  School based programs that can teach our kids about lifelong kidney health
•  Scholarship programs for young adults affected by kidney disease that helps them pursue higher education
•  Organ donor awareness including the recent launch of the Albany Kidney Connection, a vehicle for those waiting for a kidney transplant to be connected with potential altruistic donors
• And so much more

Registration to start a Walk Team or sign up for the 5K Run is now open. The 5K check~in time is 8 a.m. and the race starts at 9 a.m. The registration Fee for the 5K is $20.00 in advance and $25.00 the day of the event. The Walk Registration time starts at 9:30 a.m. and the walk starts at 11 a.m. There is no fee for the Walk but fundraising is encouraged for everyone. You can sign up for either the Walk or 5K Run at  https://healthykidneys.org/  to get started. 

The Northeast Kidney also holds Walk/5K Run events on the following dates and in the following areas: 

04/27/2014	Glens Falls Walk/5K for Kidneys, Adirondack Community College - Queensbury, New York
05/04/2014	Massena Walk/5K for Kidneys, Whalen Park - Massena, New York
05/18/2014	Binghamton Walk/5K for Kidneys, Otsiningo Park - Binghamton, New York
06/08/2014	Albany Walk/5K for Kidneys, SUNY Albany - Albany, New York
06/15/2014	Buffalo Walk /Tim Oehmler Memorial 5K, Delaware Park - Buffalo, New York
09/27/2014	Ithaca Walk/5K for Kidneys (LaChance 5K), Cass Park - Ithaca, New York
10/26/2014	Oneonta Walk for Kidneys, SUNY Oneonta - Oneonta, New York
11/09/2014	Walk over the Hudson for Kidneys, Walkway over the Hudson - Poughkeepsie, New York

I hope you will consider either going for a Walk or a Run on one of these dates or 

donating to one of these Walk teams or 5K runners. All funds that are raised in an area are kept in that area to help the local renal community. 

It's nice to be back Kidney Warriors! It's been a tough road but it's great to be sharing with all of you once again. As always, I look forward to your questions, comments or concerns. 

Keep on fighting, all you Kidney Warriors! 

~Kidney Blogger

March Sadness

Welcome back Kidney Warriors! It's with a very heavy heart that I write this blog post today. March has always been a cruel month for me, 19 years ago my mom was taken by Cancer. In five short months, it ripped through her lungs into her liver and took her life. It was some of darkest days of my life. From my misery I learned to be strong. It also taught me to be brave in face of the unknown. It taught me lessons which would help me survive the next 19 years especially when I was diagnosed with Chronic Kidney Disease.

On March 17th 2014 the cruel month of March would strike again. Kathe Lebeau, who was the Director of Patient Services and Public Policy at the Northeast Kidney Foundation, suddenly lost her battle with Chronic Kidney Disease. If it weren't for Kathe I would have never started writing this blog. She is the one who took me under her wing and became a mentor to me. Although I've only knew Kathe for a few short years she had become a very dear friend to me. Kathe and I had so much in common we were both fighting Chronic Kidney Disease and  both were NxStage Home Hemodialysis patients. Kathe also was an animal lover and rescued dogs this was something else we shared. 

 Kathe was a huge inspiration to everyone she encountered. She befriended every one she met and had a smile that was contagious. Although she lived everyday with a life threatening illness, Kathe still found the time to pursue her dream of becoming a clown. Spending much of her free time putting smiles on the faces of children. It was her way of sharing her joy of life with the world. She was known as "Kizmet" the clown which could not be more fitting. 

One of Kathe's biggest passions in life was being a patient advocate. She was a true Kidney Warrior! Everyday going into battle for all those suffering from kidney health issues. She often traveled to Washington D.C. to speak in front of the FDA and CMS to help forward the needs of kidney patients. The Kidney community has truly suffered a loss with Kathe's passing. She made an impact on every person she made contact with.

Kathe, I will miss you forever,  you touched my life and my heart! You will always remain an inspiration to me. I know you made a huge impact on the entire Kidney community. Rest in peace my dear friend. 

Keep on fighting,  you Kidney Warriors! 

~Kidney Blogger