“I work with the National Kidney Foundation and I get such a joy out of it. We’re on our way to making life better for other people dealing with kidney disease.”
Those are the words spoken by Harold Day who at an early age had kidney disease. Today he works with the National Kidney Foundation of Indiana(NKFI) which is hosting a 5K walk to not only raise funds, but to give people like Day hope for a better life.
Day was diagnosed with kidney disease at age 17 after doctors noticed his body’s inability to release fluids. He would miss school for weeks at a time and eventually found himself on regular dialysis.
Day desperately struggled to have a normal life like others his age, but due to kidney disease couldn’t.
“About a week before my transplant life meant nothing to me. After my transplant, I was feeling a whole lot better, my strength came back, I gained weight,” explained Day. “I didn’t have to worry about going to dialysis three or four times a week or worry about my fluid intake so my body wouldn’t swell as much. I was able to lead a normal life.”
It’s been almost 30 years since Day’s kidney transplant.
Many people like Day experience kidney failure at an early age, but according to Dr. Stephen Fadem spokesperson for the American Association of Kidney Patients, most who suffer from the disease do so because of complications from either diabetes or hypertension, especially Americans.
Kidneys are tied to other diseases mostly because of their many functions. As the body’s waste filtration system, the kidneys regulate the body fluids, help regulate minerals, acids and bases, make a few important hormones, activate Vitamin D, and build red blood cells.
Despite the kidney’s many uses, getting the dual threat under control does not necessarily reduce instances of kidney disease particularly in African-Americans. Fadem suggests backtracking a few steps and looking at the contributions of diet which leads to a myriad of problems such as hypertension, diabetes and kidney disease.
There are so many things to understand about kidney disease, but what may be shocking to some is that there are no real symptoms. Many who find out they have kidney failure may be in the latter stages of chronic kidney disease. It’s for this reason, Fadem believes in increased awareness.
“What we have to do is find the trigger to motivate people so once they know what to do, you do it. The doctor can give medication, but if the medication has side effects the patient can’t tolerate or somebody can’t afford, then there’s no way it can be effective,” explained Fadem. “There needs to be more human interaction in the health care system. Unfortunately I see our system getting away from that.”
The NKFI also wants to give people the motivation to become aware of the disease and is doing so with its 5K walk. As a fundraiser, the walk will fund programs such as public and professional education, free screenings, scholarships, a kidney camp for kids and emergency assistance.
“One in eight adults have kidney disease which is a significant number and it brings it home to over 600,000 Hoosiers who have the disease,” said Stephanie Williams, development specialist for the NKFI. “Our goal is to educate people about their kidney’s, the risk factors, and getting early detection to avoid the end stage of the disease.”
Not only will the 5K walk allow participants to become educated about kidney disease, but it also gives those who have the disease and their families a chance to meet others who are also dealing with kidney disease.
Day who is excited to share his story with those he meets at the walk has already raised over $500 and encourages all to come out.
“Being a volunteer for the Kidney Foundation has enriched my life. Of all the things I’ve done, my family and kids, all those things matter, but helping people I’ve never seen or met, it makes me feel good,” said Day. “It’s a fun day and it gives people that are going through this know others think about them and they care, they can survive.”
For more information, call (800) 382-9971 or visit www.kidneyindiana.org.
