My involvement with The Kidney Foundation began even before the disease touched me personally. It didn’t matter that I didn’t have kidney disease myself (or so I thought!). What mattered was that people I cared about – and even complete strangers – needed help coping with the disease.

And so my wife Molly and I got involved with the Kidney Walk and started helping out wherever we could. Then in the spring of 2017, I had what I thought was a pretty bad flu. Just to be on the safe side, I went to the hospital. They gave me some antibiotics, but my symptoms didn’t improve, so they admitted me right away for more tests.

Well, the doctor walked in and gave me the news: my kidneys had completely failed. I’m telling you; you could have knocked me over with a feather. The next day I had a port installed and started dialysis – something I’ve had to continue three times a week, four hours a day, ever since.

It was a scary time, to tell you the truth. There were a lot of unknowns – and sometimes that’s the scariest part. It seemed like there was no area of my life, no matter how small, left untouched by kidney disease.

Immediately after my diagnosis, I started looking for help. I had access to a world of information and resources – both from the kidney.ca website and from the incredibly knowledgeable Foundation staff and volunteers.

I’m now living my best life. And I want to say thank you, because that’s exactly what you give kidney patients like me every time you donate to The Kidney Foundation of Canada. And I can’t think of a better gift than that!  

So, on behalf of us folks out there with kidney disease, plus the many, many people who care about us, thank you for making our lives better. It means a lot to know you’re in my corner, especially on the harder days.