This Mother’s Day Honour Your Moms. March for them.

Which is exactly what Stephanie, Team Captain of Mama-Bear’s Marchers is doing. And her reasons why:

“I’m doing it because my mom is the strongest person I know and on top of the things most mothers have done for their children, my mom has had to fight the silent disease for years while being the best mom she could be and never losing hope. Lastly, I’m doing it to remind my mom that she is the most important woman in my life, remind her that I’m proud that she’s my mom, and remind her that I will never give up hope; her kidneys may have failed her, but I won’t.”

Or, invite them along.

Is the Kidney March an amazing gift for Mother’s day? Absolutely. You could just buy her flowers, OR you could bring her on a 100 kilometre heroic journey to battle kidney disease. Kidney March is a family affair, and we’d love to have you join our ranks as Marcher or Crew.

Register you and your mom as a team between now and Mother’s Day (Sunday, May 12th, 2013), and we’ll reimburse her registration fee on Monday. And we’ll send your Mom a special Happy Mother’s Day message to acknowledge your gift.

Register Now at: www.kidneymarch.ca or 1.866.9KMARCH.

Mother's Day - Stephanie

Kidney March Expo is just around the bend

Kidney March 2013 is upon us! That means, it’s Expo time. It’s a little taste of adventure and heroism (for our fellow passionate fans of the hardest working organ) to kick off the 2013 Kidney March season.

To our new Marchers (or those thinking about it but leaning a bit towards yes), Welcome. We can’t wait to meet you in person!

And to our returning Alumni, our Kidney March Family. Welcome back. We’re delighted to see you again. And, honored that you have decided to once again step up to the plate and raise the boldest flag humanity has ever seen in the fight against kidney disease and the appeal for organ donation.

For those new to Kidney March and not sure what to expect, the Expo is a can’t miss afternoon chock-full of “how to’s, what now’s, and when should I’s”. Have questions about training? We can help you get ready for this. It’s our specialty. Wondering if you’ll hit your fundraising goals? We’ll turn you into a fundraising machine, we promise. Wondering where you’ll sleep? We’ll introduce you to our 5-star accommodations under the stars.

Expo Details:

Date: Sunday, April 28th, 2013
Where: Fort Calgary
, 750 9th Avenue SE, Calgary, AB
FYI Session – 11:00a-12:00p
Kidney March Expo – 12:00p – 2:00p
Kidney March 5K Training Walk – 2:00p – 3:00p

We can promise you that at both the Expo and at Kidney March, you will be in the company of the most inspiring folks on the planet. These heroes, who all have their very own story of why they are standing up and making noise for Kidney March are the inspiration that fuels Kidney March, the largest walk of it’s kind in Canada. And, we’d love it if you joined us. Feel free to bring a friend (or two). Because the only thing that sweetens the beauty of this journey of a lifetime is sharing it with a loved one. Or a team of loved ones.

Drop in’s for the Expo are very, very welcome but if you could RSVP, we’d sure appreciate it.

W: www.kidneymarch.ca

E: info@kidneymarch.ca

T: 1.866.9KMARCH

M: www.meetup.com/kidney-march

Why Walk 100km’s in 3 Days? Because (kidney) failure is NOT an option.

Check out our new Kidney March video. It not only shows what Kidney March is all about, but it demonstrates why Kidney March is vital in its supporting research and programs. We need your help to spread the word! Please feel welcome to SHARE this video freely today!

via kidneymarch.

Three cheers for Kate, her incredible story and her contagious inspiration

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In January of 2011 at just 25 years old, Kidney March 2012 Alumni, Kate was diagnosed with IGA Nephropathy.  The diagnosis arrived after fourteen long months of experiencing severe headaches and sensitivity to light.   Click here to read more.

Mochi is my 6 month old Shiba Inu puppy and he loves to play with my dad’s dialysis line…

Mochi is my 6 month old Shiba Inu puppy and he loves to play with my dad’s dialysis line. Every evening, Mochi calmly waits for “bubbles time” in the hallway as my dad sets up the bags and the cycler. When the first drain begins, Mochi completely lights up! Click here to read more.

Two Time Kidney Marcher, Lauren, has made Avenue Magazine’s 2012 Top 40 Under 40 for being utterly awesome.

Source: Avenue Magazine – Published Nov 1st, 2012 by Robyn Burnett

While Lauren Herschel’s day job as an ecommunications advisor has her managing online activities and social media for Bridgewater Bank, she is also a modern-day pioneer. In June 2011, she anonymously donated her left kidney, starting a paired donation chain that has resulted in four transplants.

Herschel’s curiosity in organ donation was sparked when a friend posted on Facebook that she was donating part of her liver to her father. After her own dad passed away due to cancer, Herschel started doing some research. She contacted the Kidney Foundation and was directed to Foothills Medical Centre and the Southern Alberta Transplant Program. “I had an ‘a-ha!’ moment. If I was healthy enough to donate, I could give somebody time with their family that they wouldn’t normally have,” Herschel says. Click here to read more.

Oppa Marcher Style!

Heeeeeeyyyy, Kidney Marchers….

It’s about that time. And, we miss you already. Kidney March 2012 was an ENORMOUS SUCCESS. We Crewed. We Marched. We Conquered. Now, let’s kick back, catch up and celebrate Kidney Marcher Style.

The 3rd Annual Kidney March Alumni Celebration is just around the corner!

Click here to read more.

Kidney March is making noise for Kidney Disease…and media is taking notice

Now in its 3rd year, Kidney March is really gaining ground (pun intended as this year marks 300 kilometres of ground gained). This year in particular Marchers have been great at getting Kidney March and Kidney Disease in the news. Just last Friday, Global Calgary aired a segment on the impact of Kidney Disease on the person, home hemodialysis, and The Kidney Foundation. Heather, the health reporter, tied it all back to Kidney March as an important fundraiser to help the Foundation continue its work. You can check out the full Global piece here. Feel free to share it with your family and friends to show them why the March is so critical.

Become a Fundraising Rockstar

 

The Marcher

 

May 15, 2012

 

Become a Fundraising Rockstar

 

Walk 100 kilometres in honour of our loved ones suffering from Kidney Disease? No problem.

Raise $2,200 in honour of our loved ones suffering from Kidney Disease? Oh no, oh no, oh no. I can’t do that.

For many people in the March, the thought of doing the actual March isn’t an issue. Heck, our 70 year old neighbour is running ironman triathlons…how hard could walking 100 kilometres be?

Newsflash. The 100 kilometres is a challenge. Once you get going, fundraising is equivalent to a walk in the park. And if anyone should know, it’s one of our rockstar fundraisers (Lori Cartwright).

Lori Cartwright

Without having any fundraising experience (although with grit, determination, and good team members), she was a top fundraiser in 2011, raising nearly $7,000 for her individual total. Building her team, the Blister Sisters for 2012, here are some of her tips to help get over the fear of fundraising. Click here to read more.

Why Marching Should be a Team Sport

 

 

May 23, 2012

 

“Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.”

 

The ranks of Kidney March are a varied sort. We have the rugged individualists, marching for the cause, eschewing human contact as they strive for their personal bests. We have social butterflies, making new acquaintances with every step and stretch. We have those who stroll, curiously taking in every leaf, bird, and cow on the road.

But, however powerful our marchers are alone, teams are where it’s at. Here are a few reasons why you should turn Kidney Marching into a team sport:

You’ll be reminded of the “why.” Why the heck would I walk 100 kilometres in 3 days? Why did I sign up for this? When your brain starts heading down that treacherous path, your teammates will be there to get your mind back in the fight, back on those you love (like the “Nephrodisiacs“, or “In Memory of Nash“), back to those who make this commitment every year (like the Kidney Sisters), and back on track.

Click here to read more.