Mobile Kidney Walk set for March 22
The event, set for March 22, raises funds to assist dialysis patients in need.
USA Health will host multiple teams for the Mobile Kidney Walk & Celebration, set for Saturday, March 22, at UMS-Wright Preparatory School’s Ervin S. Cooper Stadium. University Hospital CEO Josh Snow, MSHA, is serving as honorary chair.
Registration begins at 8 a.m. with the event ceremony at 9 a.m. The event includes food, music, vendor tables, a children’s area, door prizes and prizes for top fundraising teams and individuals. The best T-shirt design will also receive a prize.
Chronic kidney disease is an under-recognized public health crisis, especially in Alabama, which has one of the highest rates of kidney disease in the nation. Many adults who have the disease don’t realize it because there are no symptoms in the early stages.
The number of Alabamians living with kidney failure has increased by 33% since 2010. More than 14,000 require life-sustaining dialysis, and more than 1,000 are on a waiting list for a kidney transplant, both of which can pose a devastating financial burden.
The Kidney Walk addresses the crisis on two fronts – by supporting community education and intervention, and by assisting our neighbors who are in need, Snow said.
Proceeds will assist south Alabama’s kidney patients in need through the Alabama Kidney Foundation’s Financial Assistance Program. The program serves low-income dialysis patients by helping them with necessities such as utility bills, prescription medications, and transportation to and from dialysis treatments.
