WHY WE WALK Kidney disease (IgAN) has profoundly impacted our lives, as Donnie has been in need of 3 transplants in less than a decade's time. 1 that came directly from a relative, and the other 2 were part of “paired donations/exchanges”, where living donor kidneys are swapped, so each person involved received a compatible kidney. While transplant doesn't cure you, it at least eliminates the need for dialysis, which is a huge blessing. Post-transplant requires multiple medications 2x/day to maintain blood pressure, suppress the immune system, and more. It also requires increased water intake, limited salt intake (among other things like potassium), monthly lab work + an anti rejection injection…& the list goes on. But Donnie manages it all so well. 2/4/23 will mark 3 years of a successful transplant and we are so incredibly grateful. The kindness of loved ones and strangers has brought us this far, and without everyone's immeasurable gifts of renewed life and health, we wouldn't be where we are today - looking forward to experiencing the joy of our sweet little babe at the walk with us this year 🥹🥰♥️ So we walk because too many families (like ours) are coping with this devastating chronic illness, and thousands more will face an unexpected kidney disease diagnosis in the year to come. We walk to support the lifechanging work of the National Kidney Foundation: - To ensure that families will have a place to turn when they need answers. - To keep up the fight for policy changes to protect kidney patients and living donors. - To drive innovation in transplantation and get more loved ones off the kidney transplant waitlist. Are you with us? PLEASE CONSIDER SUPPORTING OUR EFFORTS WITH A DONATION.