It doesn’t take much to walk a few kilometres, especially when you know that every step helps someone who’s afflicted with kidney problems.
Ben Woodlock is one such person. The three-year-old St. Albert boy was born with end stage renal disease. This means he had kidney failure, rendering his body unable to eliminate toxins and regulate electrolytes in his blood. He had to begin dialysis treatments for eight hours every night starting when he was just one month old. This went on for a year and a half until he had grown enough to be able to get a very special gift from his dad, Pat — a lifesaving kidney transplant.
Flavia Robles, the director of fund development for the Edmonton office of the Kidney Foundation of Canada, is touched and inspired by the heart-warming story of real people helping each other. Next month, this city will host a special event that organizers hope will get everybody out walking – and talking – for the sake of their organ health.
“It’s amazing when you see the impact of everyone coming together for this disease that affects millions of Canadians,” she said.
She’s inviting the general public to come check out the Gift of Life Fun Run and Walk on Sept. 11. The whole Woodlock family (including Ben, Pat and mom Tania) will be there to show people that kidney disease doesn’t need to stop you from living your life.
“All charities are great,” Robles went on, “but you actually get to see the direct lives of the people you are actually going to be helping. I think that’s an impact in itself.”
Ben is now the honorary spokesperson for the local chapter of the national volunteer organization. It works to fund innovative research, support people affected by kidney disease, provide information on kidney health and disease prevention, and promote organ and tissue donation awareness. It provides care and offers services including peer support, education, and emergency funding to those who are afflicted.
According to its research, more than 3,500 Canadians every year are scheduled to receive a transplant and approximately 250 die before they get to the top of the waiting list. The problem is that very few people sign up to be potential organ and tissue donors. That issue is amplified by the fact that not all of those people talk about that decision with their families.
Right now, there are more than 2.5 million people in this country who suffer from chronic kidney problems.
“Even if you don’t happen to know anyone in your circle, let’s think of the greater good of how we can directly affect people with kidney disease,” Robles said.
The Gift of Life Fun Run and Walk is set to take place from between 9 a.m. and noon on Sunday, Sept. 11. There will be a lunch by local merchants, door prizes and entertainment afterward.
To learn more about the event or to get involved, call 780-451-6900 or visit www.kidney.ab.ca.
