Whether it's to support someone you know, raise awareness about kidney disease, or just for exercise Chatham-Kent residents are encouraged to sign up for the 2024 Kidney Walk.
The walk will take place on Saturday, September 7 at Kingston Park. Registration will start at 8:30, with the walk itself beginning at 10 a.m.
People can register as an individual or a team, more information is available here.
This will be the first walk in CK since before COVID-19.
"We have a new energy. We're welcoming more walkers from all of Chatham-Kent," said 2024 CK Kidney Walk Ambassador Angela Stewart.
Stewart said that the walk is technically a 5K, but people are welcome to come out and do what they can.
"We understand that kidney patients might not always be able to make that," she said. "Even if you do 1K, or do the 5K, if you just want to come and sit and talk to other people that have kidney disease and share your story, that's fine too."
Stewart is no stranger to kidney disease, as she was born with polycystic kidney disease which led to her kidneys failing at the age of 48.
"I had to go on dialysis for about four months," she shared. "Thankfully, my father was going through the testing so that he could be a donor and my time on dialysis was quite short."
Stewart received a kidney transplant from her dad in July 2022 and said her quality of life has improved dramatically.
"Everything is wonderful. I can't believe this is what normal life is," she noted. "I would have accomplished so much more, had I had this energy 48 years ago."
The money raised by the walk will go to support kidney dialysis patients, Camp Dorset which allows for vacation opportunities for dialysis patients and their families, and for kidney disease research.
