Kingston Residents Unite to Support Kidney Foundation’s Mission

On the morning of March 24, 2024, nearly one hundred participants gathered at Lake Ontario Park in Kingston, Canada, to walk in support of the **Kidney Foundation**. This community event brought together individuals currently facing kidney disease, their families and friends, as well as those honoring loved ones lost to the illness. The shared goal was to raise funds for the foundation’s mission, which focuses on education, assistance, and research initiatives related to kidney health.

Olivia Jelley, the community development officer for the **Kidney Foundation’s** Kingston chapter, highlighted the widespread impact of kidney disease in Canada. She noted that approximately one in ten Canadians is affected, with the figure rising to one in three among Indigenous populations. Jelley emphasized the importance of community support, stating, “So many people in our community are fighting this disease. Today, the community comes together to support the programs that can help them.”

These programs include short-term financial assistance for transportation and grocery needs, as well as peer support networks. The foundation also allocates a portion of its fundraising efforts towards innovative research projects. Jelley mentioned the **Lions Club’s Camp Dorset**, a unique summer camp that provides dialysis patients and their families with a supportive vacation environment. This nonprofit facility is recognized by the government as an independent health entity, offering essential medical care to ensure visitors enjoy a positive experience.

Craig Lindsay, director of programs and public policy for the Ontario branch of the **Kidney Foundation**, traveled from Toronto to participate in the Kingston walk. He shared his personal connection to kidney disease, having been diagnosed 15 years ago. “When I was diagnosed, my wife and I had no idea what was in front of us,” Lindsay reflected. He praised the support he received beyond medical care, recalling his first introduction to the foundation at a similar event. “I remember seeing people walking the five kilometers, laughing and playing with their children. It was transformational for me and my family. We started to see hope.”

Lindsay stressed the critical need for proactive kidney health management. He urged people to maintain healthy lifestyles, including proper nutrition and hydration, and encouraged regular screenings for kidney disease. “We want to educate the public and make them aware before they end up on a transplant waiting list,” he said.

Kidney disease can arise from various causes, with hypertension, high blood pressure, and diabetes being the leading contributors to kidney failure. Lindsay also noted genetic factors that can result in early diagnoses in children, such as kidney cancer and polycystic kidney disease. He himself was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes at the age of 30, which led to kidney and pancreas transplants 11 years ago. “What the kidney foundation did for me for the most part was peer support,” he shared, highlighting the importance of community in managing the disease.

Among the participants was Kingston resident Stacey McClelland, who was diagnosed with polycystic kidney disease at the age of 12. “I’ve been on blood pressure and cholesterol medications since I was 12,” she explained. Currently, her kidneys are functioning at only 40 percent capacity, and she faces the possibility of complete kidney failure within the next eight to ten years. McClelland has learned that kidney disease has far-reaching effects on overall health, noting her recent diagnosis of cardiomyopathy. “I have to have my heart and brain checked regularly because I’m prone to aneurysms,” she said.

This hereditary condition has impacted her family deeply, having lost her mother and grandmother to the same disease. “I walk for them, I walk for myself, and I walk for all those still fighting this disease,” McClelland declared, expressing her determination to overcome the challenges she faces.

The walk at Lake Ontario Park served not only as a fundraising event but also as a powerful reminder of the community’s resilience and commitment to supporting one another in the face of kidney disease. For more information about the Kidney Foundation and its initiatives, visit their official website.