It was a great day for a walk.
I had the pleasure of participating in the National Kidney Foundation’s Northern Virginia Kidney Walk today. It was so inspiring to see all of the people come out to support friends and loved ones that have been affected by kidney disease. Some were transplant recipients. Some were currently battling kidney disease. Others were walking in honor of someone currently battling the disease, as well as those who had succumb to their fight. It was truly touching to see so many people unite for this cause.
After Mark got sick last year, I was determined to participate in the walk this year. I was determined to form a team and set a fundraising goal to contribute to NKF’s mission. I know what kidney disease is capable of. I’ve seen it firsthand. It’s something that can be prevented, and I wanted to do something to help spread awareness and possibly save lives.
I decided to go out on a limb to get the word out. I tend to be on the shy side, but I knew that this was important to me and something I HAD to accomplish. I first spread the word on Facebook. Family and friends donated right away. You know who you are. Thank you so much. I also wanted to reach out to the blogging community to see if I could generate support. I approached Healthy Living Blogs to see if I could purchase ad space to donate to one of my readers who made a donation. Instead, I was awestruck when they donated the ad space for my giveaway. A huge thank you to Heather for your generosity.
The next thing I knew, HLB members made donations to my team. While I asked for a $5 donation to be eligible for the giveaway, these bloggers decided to give more. These ladies are people that I’ve never met, yet they wanted to contribute to my cause. Wow.
Thank you to Natalie from BodyAide.
Thank you to Ashley from Running Bun.
Thank you to Julie from Food Fitness and Happiness.
Thank you to the anonymous person who made a donation.
I continue to be amazed by your generosity.
Because of my wonderful family, friends, and new blogging friends, M&M’s Kidney Dream Team accomplished its fundraising goal. I can’t begin to thank everyone enough for their support. It truly means the world.
Today was a great day. I am most thankful that I was able to spend this beautiful day with Mark. Last year, Mark was laying in a hospital bed close to death. By the grace of God, he survived. He brings joy to my life and continues to make me laugh everyday.
Things in life don’t always go as planned, but I do believe they happen for a reason. While I may write mostly about my running journey, I am truly honored in times like these when I can write to spread awareness about issues that are so important. Kidney disease can be prevented. Learn what you can and do what you can to protect yourself and the ones you love.
If you have it in your heart to become a donor, please do so. All you have to do is check a box on your driver’s license. It’s that simple. It may not seem like a big deal, but when you see someone you love suffering, it becomes a big deal. If you’re not sure, do your research. That’s all I ask. You can save a life.
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You are so welcome Megan, I am more than happy to have helped, even though my contribution is so small compare to what I wish I could do or give.. Very emotional post. So inspiring to see such devotion. 🙂
Thanks Julie! I too wish I could have raised more, but I was really happy with what we accomplished! Thanks again!
Very inspirational, thanks for sharing.
Thanks so much, Caroline!
Wonderful blog Megan! I have kidney disease in my family and it is very difficult to live with. Thanks for helping raise awareness!
Thanks so much Shirley!