Today a family member was told she has Polycystic Kidney
Disease. Today I knew her life
would become very different. Today
I even knew she would take it like a champ and believe there will be a
treatment and/or cure in her lifetime.
Today I knew I couldn’t ever stop fighting for a cure or treatment.
As PKD patients who have children, we pray everyday that
they won’t have it. We pray the 50%
chance is wrong. We pray they will
beat the odds. Until we find out
they didn’t. Then the prayers and
the hopes take a turn. They turn
to science, doctors, nurses, research and miracles.
The disease doesn’t discriminate. It doesn’t choose a
specific culture, gender, ethnicity or age. So when we get the news that our son’s, daughter’s or
grandchildren have been diagnosed, our hearts sink. We realize that our prayers weren’t answered. But as we did when we found out that we
had PKD, we pick ourselves up after the initial shock. The only difference is instead of being
the learners; we now become teachers.
We teach them how to be courageous, strong and hopeful. We educate them on all we know and how
to find out the things we don’t. We
do everything in our power to make them feel better.
So yes, today I call on all to UNITE TO FIGHT and walk for
PKD. If you can’t walk,
donate. If you can’t donate, educate.
Tell your friends and families about this disease that robs people’s lives of
innocence, childhood, health and longevity. Tell them we need them to pay attention.
This year’s walk in the Atlanta metro area is in downtown
Duluth on Oct. 12 at 9:00 am. For
more information please go to:
Marlene Stewart
Coordinator
PKD Foundation -Atlanta Chapter
