Ninth annual March O’ the Kidney tomorrow morning

The ninth annual March O’ the Kidney will begin at 8 a.m. tomorrow, Saturday, March 11, at the Northpark Mall, 101 N. Range Line Road, Joplin, Mo. (inside the former Macy’s entrance)

The community is invited to participate in a one-mile walk inside Northpark Mall on Saturday during the ninth annual event which directly supports and benefits patients suffering from chronic kidney disease.

Healthy kidneys filter the body’s blood every 30 minutes, removing wastes and toxins. When kidneys begin to fail, excess waste remains inside the body. That can potentially cause additional health problems such as heart disease or stroke.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 37 million American adults suffer from chronic kidney disease. Sadly, it remains a leading cause of death for adults in the United States.

Every 24 hours, in fact, 360 people begin dialysis treatment for kidney failure.

The primary goal behind March O’ the Kidney is to raise awareness and educate people about their kidneys and the potential risks factors – Diabetes, high blood pressure, obesity – so they won’t become a new statistic.

Patients suffering from chronic kidney disease must go on dialysis, and these lengthy treatments – four hours a day, three days a week – make it difficult for patients to work a job.

The Walk’s registration fee, $15 at the door, goes directly to meet the needs of Freeman’s dialysis patients. One hundred percent of funds raised during the event is placed inside the Freeman Dialysis Patient Assistance Fund, which assists area dialysis patients with medications, nutritional supplements, durable medical equipment, and transportation to specialty appointments.

To donate to Freeman Dialysis Fund, visit freemanhealth.com/marchothekidney, or call 417-347-8330.