COCKEYSVILLE, Md. – The National Kidney Foundation Serving Maryland and Delaware (NKFMDDE) will hold its 21st annual Maryland Kidney Walk, Sunday, Sept. 10, at the University of Maryland Baltimore County (1000 Hilltop Cir., Baltimore, MD 21250).
More than 2,000 people are expected to gather at this family-friendly event to raise awareness of kidney disease, organ donation and the importance of early screening and a healthy lifestyle for those at risk.
“The National Kidney Foundation is a lifeline for thousands of patients with all stages of kidney disease. Every step our walkers take raises millions of dollars for our programs for patients, innovation in research, awareness campaigns and legislative change,” said NKFMDDE Executive Director Pattie Dash. “We need your help now to give families the information and answers they need to achieve optimal kidney health and advocate for patients who need access to dialysis and transplants.”
Check-in begins at 9 a.m. at Erickson Field. The Walk kicks off at 10 a.m., following a Zumbawarm-up and a brief ceremony featuring the family of Kidney Walk Youth Ambassador Lucy Thoupos – a 5-year-old Cockeysville resident who received a transplant at 18 months of age. Participants can choose from a 2-mile route or a shorter, patient-friendly route for strollers and wheelchairs. Adding to the fun, DJ Young Fresh Prince (a 17-year-old Frederick, Md. kidney transplant recipient who has been an NKFMDDE ambassador for the past four years) will spin tunes, and NKFMDDE Ambassador and professional boxer, Demond Nicholson will give boxing tips.
The event also features additional stage entertainment, refreshments by local food truck vendors available for purchase, water donated by UMBCand the Kidney Kids Corner with face painting, arts & crafts and games, and the opportunity to interact with NKF, vendors and community partners including the 2Betties, Infinite Legacy, Donate Life, Johns Hopkins Comprehensive Transplant Center, TRIO and the University of Maryland Transplant Center.
Kidney Walk proceeds will directly support NKFMDDE’s patient services, education and research efforts. Admission is free, but donations are encouraged. Everyone who raises a minimum of $100 will receive a commemorative Walk t-shirt. New this year, raise $1,000 or more to receive a top fundraiser quarter zip. For online registration, visit www.kidneywalk.org/maryland. To learn about local sponsorship or volunteer opportunities, call Pattie Dash at 410.494.8545.
To date, Maryland Kidney Walk sponsors include Allmond & Company LLC, Alexion AstraZeneca Rare Disease, Mid-Atlantic Nephrology & Associates, P.A., Horizon Therapeutics, The University of Maryland Transplant Center, Johns Hopkins Comprehensive Transplant Center, Somatus, Inc., Fresenius Medical Care, 2Betties, Independent Dialysis Foundation (IDF), RELI Group, Inc.,Veloxis Pharmaceuticals – an Asahi Kasei company,KPMG,CSL Vifor, OmegaCor Technologies, Otsuka Pharmaceutical, Alderson Loop LLC, Anatomy Gifts Registry, PhRMA, Planet Fitnessandnational partner,DaVita.
NKF’s Kidney Walk is the nation’s largest walk to fight kidney disease and a signature community fundraiser that provides an opportunity for families affected by kidney disease to join together in hope and solidarity. Funds raised through participant support allow the NKF to launch public educational awareness campaigns that shine a bright light on kidney disease, a national public health crisis affecting 37 million Americans. More than 86 cents of every dollar donated directly supports NKF programs and services.
Kidney Disease&the NKF
About one in three American adults are at risk for kidney disease. Risk factors for kidney disease include: diabetes,
high blood pressure, heart disease, obesity, and family history. People of Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, American Indian or Alaska Native, Asian American, or Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander descent are at increased risk for developing the disease. Black or African American people are about four times as likely as White people to have kidney failure. Hispanics experience kidney failure at about double the rate of White people.
Research shows that societal factors also influence health, such as poverty, education, food insecurity and housing, can be a bigger factor in developing kidney disease. Recognition of these social issues reflects a broader call by NKF to re-examine institutional policies and practices and to identify where structural racism affects the risk of developing kidney disease and overall kidney healthcare. To that end, the nonprofit is funding new kidney disease treatments to get them to patients faster and ensuring that the public and medical professionals have access to the latest science on kidney health.
The National Kidney Foundation is revolutionizing the fight to save lives by eliminating preventable kidney disease, accelerating innovation for the dignity of the patient experience, and dismantling structural inequities in kidney care, dialysis and transplantation.For more information, visit www.kidney.org.
