Walk for kidney health being held in Truro

TRURO, N.S. — The Ninth Annual Kidney Walk is coming to Truro this month.
The Sept. 14 walk through downtown Truro is designed to raise support for Canadians living with chronic kidney disease.
"A lot of people think that kidney disease affects only the elderly. The reality is that due to advances in medicine, more and more young people are being diagnosed,” said Michelle MacMullin, development co-ordinator for the Kidney Foundation of Canada’s Halifax office in an Aug. 21 email. “One in 10 Canadians currently has kidney disease. For most of those individuals, you would never know to look at them.”
Many people are not diagnosed until another issue sends them to the doctor, where tests reveal they only have 10- or 20-per-cent kidney function.
Many people end up on dialysis while they wait for a transplant, but some may not be eligible owing to health or lifestyle concerns.
“Fifty per cent of the people currently on dialysis will not make it,” said MacMullin.
The Truro walk will take place Sept. 14, starting at the Sobeys parking lot at 985 Prince Street.  
Registration is at 9 a.m. and the walk starts at 10 a.m. For further information or to register online, visit Kidneywalk.ca.