What is the Kidney Walk?
The National Kidney Foundation's Kidney Walk is a non-competitive walk focusing on education and the prevention of kidney and urinary tract diseases, and awareness of the need for organ donation. The Kidney Walk presents an occasion for dialysis patients, organ transplant recipients, donor families, the medical and business communities, and general public to celebrate life and create lasting community advocacy and long-term support for the Foundation's mission.
Walkers may participate individually or with teams of family members, friends, neighbors and co-workers. All participants raising $100 or more will receive a Kidney Walk t-shirt. Other prizes are awarded at different fund raising levels. For more information on the prizes please visit our National web site.
Why Walk the Kidney Walk?
- Chronic kidney disease is a public health problem affecting 26 million Americans. African-Americans are four times more likely to have kidney disease than Caucasians.
- Risk factors include diabetes, high blood pressure and family history.
- 71,000 people are waiting for organ transplants.
- One in nine American adults has kidney disease and most don't know it.
- 18 people die each day waiting for an organ transplant.
Upcoming Kidney Walk schedule
| Sunday May 3, 2009 | Grand Rapids Kidney Walk at Fifth Third Ball Park |
| Sunday May 17, 2009 | Kidney Walk at the Detroit Zoo Registration is now at 7:30am |
| Sunday May 17, 2009 | Muskegon Kidney Walk at Pere Marquette Beach Pavilion |
| Sunday May 31, 2009 | Southwest Michigan Kidney Walk at the Celery Flats |
| Sunday May 31, 2009 | East Central Michigan Kidney Walk at Crossroads Village |
| Saturday June 6, 2009 | First Annual Northern Michigan Softball Tournament in Cadillac |
| Sunday, June 28, 2009 | Greater Lansing Kidney Walk at Potter Park Zoo |
| Sunday September 13, 2009 | Ann Arbor/Brighton Kidney Walk at Gallup Park in Ann Arbor |
| Sunday September 20, 2009 | Kids and Kidneys Walk at Bay City Riverwalk |
