Walkers will gather to fight Polycystic Kidney Disease Saturday morning, Oct. 13, at Walnut Creek Recreation Area in Papillion.
Across the country in October, walkers plan to step out to raise awareness about the disease and to raise funds to discover and deliver treatments and a cure for PKD.
In the last 2 years, the walk organized by the Nebraska Chapter of the PKD Foundation has raised $26,000.00. Funds raised are channeled back into the foundation, headquartered in Kansas City that leads the fight against PKD through research, education, advocacy, support and awareness.
PKD is one of the most common life-threatening genetic diseases, affecting more people than Down syndrome, cystic fibrosis, muscular dystrophy, hemophilia, and sickle cell anemia – combined. More than 600,000 Americans, and 12.5 million newborns, children, and adults worldwide battle Polycystic Kidney Disease every day.
There is no treatment for PKD. There is no cure.
Right now, about 50 percent of people with PKD develop kidney failure by age 50 and are forced to depend on dialysis or transplant to live.
Persons with PKD develop cysts on their kidneys, and sometimes their liver, which grow in numbers and size large enough to crowd out the function of the kidneys. Symptoms are blood in the urine, back pain, and high blood pressure. PKD equally affects men, women, and children regardless of age, race, geography or ethnic origin.
Registration for the Nebraska Walk for PKD begins at 8 a.m., Pennies Kids Dash starts at 8:30 and the Walk begins at 9 a.m. The Walnut Creek Recreation Area is located south on Hwy. 370 and 96th St. in Papillion, Neb.
