Saturday's Event

Apologies for not posting yesterday; I'm feeling a little under the weather.

On Saturday I participated in the National Kidney Foundation's Los Angeles walk. According to the email I received post-event, this particular event raised over $20,000. Not bad for a cold, drizzly morning. The event was held at the Rose Bowl stadium, famous for those New Year's Day football games. We only walked around the stadium twice; it wasn't a 5K. But it was a nice walk.

I found out about this walk in an odd way: on the Red Line, which is our subway system here in Los Angeles. There was a poster in one of the cars. I thought I would check it out online and that, of course, got me motivated to sign up and walk.

Unlike the Arthritis Foundation Walk, the American Heart Association Walk, the AIDS Walk Los Angeles, or the American Cancer Society events that I support....I did this walk for me.

Yes, you read that correctly. I did it for me. Back in 2003 I was diagnosed with proteinuria, which basically means that my kidneys do not filter properly. It is quite possible that in the future I will suffer from renal failure. Here are some quick Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) facts:

• The risk factors include diabetes and high blood pressure
• 358,000 people depend on dialysis
• 26 million American have CKD and most don't know it
• 83,000 people are on the waiting list for a kidney transplant
• 1 person dies every two hours while waiting for a kidney transplant
• People at increased risk are African-Americans, Hispanics, Asians or Pacific Islanders, Native Americans and the elderly

If you are at risk, please get checked. Early detection and proper treatment can slow the progression of kidney disease.

Here are some pics of the event.

BEHR HUGS