Walking for a great cause
By Kristine MacDougall, Tillsonburg News
You can make a difference.
That's the message behind The Kidney Foundation of Canada's annual Give the Gift of Life Walk September 11, at Tillsonburg District Memorial Hospital.
"This is the first time it's ever been held in Tillsonburg," said Greg D'Hulster, organizer for the walk. "I've volunteered for The Kidney Foundation of Canada before, and in other areas of the province, it seemed to be a success," he said.
D'Hulster has been directly affected by kidney failure and understands the importance of events such as the Give the Gift of Life Walk.
"We have a son that was born with kidney problems," he said of his 15-year-old son Dylan. "Back in 2001, when he was six I gave him one of my kidneys."
Since then, Dylan had been living a healthy, normal life, but that all changed last year, when he was put back on dialysis in March 2010.
"The kidney that I gave him quit working and he's back on dialysis right now," D'Hulster said. "Usually a transplanted kidney will last longer than eight or nine years, but because it's a foreign object in his body it can quit working at any time, for really no reason at all."
Cance, as well as heart and stroke disease may be better known across Canada, and may affect more people, however, the number of people affected by kidney disease or kidney failure has steadily increased over the past 20 years. D'Hulster said events like the Give the Gift of Life Walk are an important way for people to learn about kidney disease, its impact on communities and families, as well as the importance of organ donation.
"I don't think people realize that just one person donating an organ can save up to eight people. It's pretty dramatic - one person signing their donor card," he said. "(Organ donation helps) get one of those people out of there, and off of dialysis. It makes a huge difference in their lives."
Dylan is currently on a waiting list for another kidney transplant and undergoes dialysis treatment in Tillsonburg 18 hours a week - three days a week, at six hours a day.
The money raised Sunday will stay locally and go towards the dialysis unit at the Tillsonburg District Memorial Hospital.
Approximately 45 walkers have registered so far, and are expected to participate in the five kilometer walk. To register for the event or for more information, you can visit www.kidney.ca/ontario walk or call 1-800-387-4474.
The Give the Gift of Life Walk takes place Sunday September 11, 2011 at the Tillsonburg District Memorial Hospital, and begins at 10:30 am.
“You Have the Power to Donate Life – Sign-up today! to become an organ and tissue donor
Tell Your Loved Ones of Your Decision”
Tell Your Loved Ones of Your Decision”
Australia, register at Australian Organ Donor Register
New Zealand, register at Organ Donation New Zealand
South Africa, http://www.odf.org.za/
United States, organdonor.gov
United Kingdom, register at NHS Organ Donor Register
Your generosity can save or enhance the lives of up to fifty people with heart, kidneys, liver, lungs, pancreas and small intestine transplants (see allotransplantation). One tissue donor can help by donating skin, corneas, bone, tendon, ligaments and heart valves
Has your life been saved by an organ transplant? "Pay it forward" and help spread the word about the need for organ donation - In the U.S. another person is added to the national transplant waiting list every 11 minutes and 18 people die each day waiting for an organ or tissue transplant. Organs can save lives, corneas renew vision, and tissue may help to restore someone's ability to walk, run or move freely without pain. Life Begins with You
2 comments:
I'd like to participate in one of these
This is a great write up! We are having outs this Sunday (18th) at Colasanti's in Kingsville Ontario Canada
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