Why I Walk

When my son started waking up with puffy eyes in July of 2023, I assumed it was allergies. I gave him Benadryl, cleaned his room, and installed a new air filter. He continued to experience swelling all week and, by Friday, his legs were twice their normal size and he started having nausea and gastrointestinal issues. We went to the ER and he was admitted to Golisano Children's Hospital that day with a diagnosis of nephrotic syndrome, a rare form of protein-spilling kidney disease. That was the beginning of our family's kidney disease journey.

Henry responded quickly to the strong dose of prednisone his nephrologist prescribed and went into remission. However, he has since relapsed three times. His experience of rare kidney disease has become part of his life, with weekly urine testing (daily when he's actively nephrotic or on a steroid taper), dietary restrictions, and the ever-present possibility of a relapse and the need for medication that, while effective, has challenging side effects. 

I walk because too many families (like mine) are coping with this devastating chronic illness, and thousands more will face an unexpected kidney disease diagnosis in the year to come.

I 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 me?

Please consider supporting my efforts with a generous donation.