We are incredibly proud of our Kidney March Family. Every conversation, every tweet, every facebook status, every newspaper feature and every shout out has helped spread the word about Kidney March far and wide, and for that, we are beyond grateful. We welcome you with open arms to be as Kidney March connected as possible. There is an amazing community with a strong voice out there and you can find it all here. Read our blog below for our News and Community updates and stay connected.
Want to get to know a few of your fellow Marchers? Visit our 'Marcher Stories' page under 'The Cause' to read more!
Kidney March in the News! To read and watch past news storries on our event and participants visit our 'Media' page.
Lost and found from Kidney March 2024
Please check the below list of items and let us know if you think something may be yours. To claim your lost item contact Sharon D’Souza sharon.dsouza@kidney.ca 1-587-200-2780 | 1-800-268-1177
We will bring all unclaimed items to the Alumni Reunion in October. Any remaining items following the reunion will be donated to Kidney Clothes.
Unclaimed found items:
Description
• Brown Glasses Pouch with 2 Pairs of Glasses
• Blue Olympic water bottle
• Blue Contigo water bottle
• White bag with Kidney March jacket and gloves. may have had “jenny” written on it.
• Steal Water Bottle – Klean Kanteen
• Black Contigo Beverage Bottle
• Green Nalgene Water bottle with MAC V… on it
• Walking Poles – Brand Cascade
• Air Mattress – Outbound
• Green and yellow Vape
• Blister Buddies Bracelet – from the Swifties
• Smartwool Socks – Pitstop 5
• Neck Cooler – Pitstop 3
• Kids Black Size M George Sweater
• Blue and white lanyard with Japanese style art Keychain with a Car key.
I thought I share some tips for coping in hot weather. I had some experience in extreme temperature events like finishing the 2014 Vineman Ironman distance race (3.8km swim 186km bike and a full marathon) in a 41˚C heat wave. That was way too hot. So here are some tips my coaches relayed to me.
Coping in hot weather:
•Switch to light color clothing, preferably non-cotton, polyester blend fabrics for breathability. Light or white color clothing cuts a few degrees off your overall heat load.
•wear a light color hat or cap to keep the sun off your face. A hat can help cool your head effectively, especially when soaked in water or holding a baggie of ice underneath your cap for temporary relief.
•bring a pair of sunglasses. Protect your eyes from the bright sun. Fighting glare without the help of sunglasses only brings discomfort.
•lighten your load-reduce your gear to the bare essentials. Edit your gear ruthlessly and thoughtfully. Think about dropping off your heavier stuff or morning clothes at the aid stations.
•carry a water bottle with you. Use water to spritz yourself every few minutes for additional cooling. A cold bottle held near your neck where the carotid artery is is a good way to bring extra relief. But be careful to avoid getting your shoes wet if you choose to soak yourself. One trick is to lean way forward to get wet to douse yourself but keep your legs dry.
•drink electrolyte rich sports drinks to prevent dehydration and it helps to reduce swelling of hands and feet caused by prolonged exercise in the heat. If your pee is a darker shade of yellow, you’ll need to drink a lot more. Hydrate until you pee light yellow or pale clear. You may be sweating out salts more than you are used to and replacing lost electrolytes is even more important on hot days and exercise. If you feel muscle cramping, increase your electrolyte intake. Upping your salt intake can help reduce cramping within minutes.
•if you have elastic laces, they may help your feet adjust your feet as they tend to swell. As the day gets warmer, you might opt to loosen the tension in your laces to ease some of the pressure from your feet swelling from heat and prolonged distances.
•positive mental attitude goes a long way. It gives you room to handle more challenges. Negativity is unnecessary baggage to think about on your mission. The thoughts you have should be focused on being comfortable as best as you can. Think about drinking water or spritzing yourself to aid cooling.
•most importantly…listen to your body. Know the signs of heat exhaustion. If you feel:
• muscle cramps
dizziness
mild confusion
abnormally fast heart rate or breathing
headache
irritability
extreme thirst
nausea or vomiting
pale skin
heavy sweating or even the lack of sweating
fainting
Take a break in the shade and recover. Your safety is paramount.
Kidney March is the experience of a lifetime and maybe the biggest challenge you’ve ever undertaken deserves a lot of celebration!
During Kidney March, safety is our top priority. Support is also very important to us, so we want to make sure your family and friends have opportunities to cheer you on! There are specific locations each day where friends and family can safely park and greet you:
Day One
7:00 am sharp, Opening Ceremony at Millarville Racing & Agricultural Society, Millarville Racetrack: 306097 192 Street, Millarville, AB T0L 1K0
9:30 am – 1:00 pm, Diamond Valley lunch stop, Royalite Millennium Park: approximately 105 Valley Trail NE, Turner Valley, AB T0L 2A0
Day Two
11:30 am – 2:00 pm, Kananaskis lunch stop,Elbow Valley Visitors’ Information Centre: 2 AB-66, Bragg Creek, AB T0L 0K0 (Alberta Parks Kananaskis Conservation Pass Required)
Day Three
10:30 am – 1:30 pm, Lunch StopSpringbank Park for All Seasons, 32224A Springbank Road, Calgary AB, T3Z 2L9. Please park in front of the Park for All seasons building in the main parking lot. Then you must walk through the middle of the Park for All Seasons building to the white domed outdoor arena behind. Link to Google map for Parking
3:00 pm, Marchers and Crew complete their final kilometres and walk into the Closing Ceremony at WinSport Canada Olympic Park,in the Festival Tent, 88 Canada Olympic Rd SW, Calgary AB **bottom of the hill only** The hill road will be closed. Please enter Winsport from Canada Olympic Drive SW and Park in the main parking lot behind the Sports Hall of Fame. Link to Google directions for Parking
Please use the designated cheering stations only.
For safety reasons, we cannot allow spontaneous stops along the route or have family and friends joining the walk. Family and friends are encouraged to find their Marchers and Crew only at the cheering stations listed.
**Guests or visitors are not permitted at Kidney March Camp**
“What should I expect on Day Zero?” Here’s a brief run-down.
Please mark your calendars to attend one of the following mandatory Safety Sessions on Thursday, September 5, 2024.
All Marchers and Crew MUST attend a Safety Session on Thursday, Sept. 5th, at the Delta Calgary South (135 Southland Drive, Calgary AB), in the Bonavista Ballroom – Tower Building. The Bonavista Ballroom is located on the lower level of the Tower Building.
Mandatory Check-in At Day Zero you’ll receive your package with your ID Lanyard (this must be worn during Kidney March), check your tent assignment and luggage tags, drop off any donations, and shop the Kidney March store.
MARCHER Mandatory Safety Sessions
All Marchers must attend one of the following mandatory Safety Sessions. We are offering three sessions throughout the day at different times.
CREWmust attend the Crew-specific Safety Session at 5:30 pm. This is a Mandatory Crew Meeting for all Crew Members. At the Crew meeting, you’ll be attending a short safety session and meeting your Team Leads and fellow Crew Members.
No RSVP is required. Please arrive 15 mins before your chosen time slot to pick up your registration package. You will need more time if you are turning in donations. Please note: the 6:30 pm session is typically the busiest.
It’s a great chance to meet or reconnect with your fellow Kidney Marchers and Crew! Our Kidney March team will be available to answer any questions you may have on Day Zero. You can also reach out to kidneymarch@kidney.ca
Mayfair Returns with Enthusiasm as Medical Building Sponsor!
We are thrilled to welcome back for their second year, Mayfair Diagnostics, supporting our 2024 Medical Building and our compassionate team of health care professionals at Camp.
Our Medical Crew and Building are essential to the well-being of everyone on the March. Having it supported allows us to enhance our medical care during the March while enabling more of your valuable fundraising to go towards the cause.
There’s a good chance that many people in our kidney community have at some point in their health journey needed the services of a Mayfair Diagnostics clinic. Owned and operated by over 50 radiologists and employing more than 550 employees, Mayfair Diagnostics has 15 locations in the Calgary area and serve over 550,000 patients in both urban and rural and remote locations.
Kidney March and Mayfair share a common goal, to improve the lives and health outcomes of people in our community through the work we do.
“We’re grateful to be back at the Kidney March this year as the Medical Building sponsor. We are often part of our patients’ health care journey with kidney disease and understand the importance of the Kidney March in supporting those affected by this disease. We appreciate the opportunity to be part of a life changing event that increases public awareness about kidney disease and organ donation while providing funding for research to find a cure.” – Mayfair Diagnostics
We’re thrilled to welcome Mayfair back to camp and anticipate their continued support.
Remember to express your gratitude for their generous sponsorship.
Thank you, Mayfair Diagnostics!
Mayfair Diagnostics was introduced to Kidney March by Courtney Kovacs, Mayfair employee and Kidney Marcher. We are forever appreciative of the connections made possible by our extraordinary participants.
Photo provided by Mayfair, Courtney Kovacs (left) and Kelsey Richardson (right)
✔️ Friday Fundraising TipGet a head start on your 2025 Fundraising Goal! We are only 8 months away from Kidney March.Start now – Set yourself a monthly fundraising goal to achieve and plan one fundraising initiative to try each month. Start with simply sharing your story and asking friends and family to support you. Fundraising takes courage and persistence. Visit our fundraising page on the Kidney March website for more ideas you can try each month. kidneymarch.ca/fundraising/... See MoreSee Less
🚨TRAINING WALK ALERT - TWO LOCATIONSNORTH CALGARY 13-X Kidney Marcher Michelle Hofer will be hosting a short training walk on Saturday, January 11th, at 1:00 pm starting from the West Nose Creek Parking Lot (3409 Nose Creek, Calgary, AB T3K) 📍MAP LINK: maps.app.goo.gl/vcdxiC445XPbqWhH9. It will be about a 4 km loop (depending on pathway conditions). With options for shorter loops. It is mostly flat with two little hills. (FYI there are no public washrooms on this route, but there is a T&T & shopping center near by.)"Lets chat about kidneys and Kidney March, or not 😉. Excited to start walking and exploring pathways again, so join me for some easy K's." SOUTH CALGARY15-X Kidney Marcher Stuart Duff will be hosting a 5 km training walk on Sunday, January 12th, at 9:30am. Meet at the Glenmore Landing Starbucks. 🧣Dress for the weather, and don't forget to bring some water. 💧 ... See MoreSee Less
📆 Save the Date for The Kidney Foundation of Canada La Fondation canadienne du rein's 2025 Virtual Forum is coming soon.Join us on February 25-26, 2025, starting at 12:00 pm EST, as we explore the theme “Living Well with Kidney Disease | Navigating the Kidney Journey.” 👇 See below for more details or to register. ... See MoreSee Less
✔️ Training Tip Tuesday 🚶🚶♀️There is nothing like the start of a new year to set new healthy goals and get active. Now is the time to make training part of your lifestyle. We all know life can get busy. Schedule training walks into your daily routine, and not only will it help you prepare for Kidney March; it’s also good for your kidney health and your whole body!Need some inspiration to get started? Visit our Training Page for details and resources.kidneymarch.ca/training/... See MoreSee Less
Let's continue to change lives in 2025!We are excited for the year ahead! Your commitment to the kidney cause is truly inspiring. Kidney March is a family of everyday heroes like you; Those who go above and beyond to do the most they possibly can to raise monumental funds creating a brighter future and building a community of support for everyone living with kidney disease in Canada. Let 2025 be the year that makes your heart full in the best ways possible...When you take part in Kidney March you are changing lives. You’re funding innovative research, prevention, and education. You are empowering those with kidney disease, advocating with them for improved access to care, and advancing kidney health and organ donation. You are changing lives, and also changing your own. Accomplishing the challenges of Kidney March will leave you fulfilled, grateful, and forever changed. ... See MoreSee Less
Wishing you Happy Holidays from The Kidney Foundation of Canada - Southern Alberta Branch and #kidneyMarch! We want to extend a thank you to our #kidney community. Your generosity, strength of spirit, and commitment to the cause is a gift that continues to improve the lives of everyone living with kidney disease. Sending our heartfelt wishes to all of you and your families, and may you have a joyous holiday season. Please Note: Our office will be closed on December 23, 2024 and re-opens January 2, 2025, with staff returning in person to the office on January 6, 2025. ... See MoreSee Less
Hear-ye, Hear-ye!! Eight-time Kidney Marcher Tracy Johnston will be hosting her annual New Year's Eve Charity Gala with proceeds going to Kidney March. This year things are going way back in time... Medieval times!! ⚔️Enjoy food, drinks, dancing and global entertainment provided by local entertainers.During the evening, there will be a silent auction, with proceeds going to the Kidney March.For tickets or to learn more visit: www.tjevents.ca/events/⏱️ It's never too early to get a head start on your #kidneyMarch fundraising. Looking for some inspiration? Visit kidneymarch.ca/fundraising/ or reach out to the Kidney March Team. ... See MoreSee Less
Mayfair Diagnostics was introduced to Kidney March by Courtney Kovacs, Mayfair employee and Kidney Marcher. We are forever appreciative of the connections made possible by our extraordinary participants.