Please help support Kidney Month

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 20/03/2013 (4867 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

 March is a very important month for me for a few reasons. First, March is kidney health month. This is the month dedicated to promoting  kidney awareness — knowing how to keep your kidneys healthy and preventing kidney disease. You are likely to see ads all over the city, including large signs on the sides of our transit buses.

Businesses also take part in this awareness initiative. One company that does this faithfully and has taken part for a number of years is Wendy’s Restaurants. All through March, when you make a one-dollar donation, you will get a chili cup tag. You can put your name on it or the name of someone you love (maybe someone who is in need of a kidney) and it will be displayed on the wall inside the restaurant. All donations go to The Kidney Foundation of Canada, which helps raise funds and awareness, as well as helping those who suffer from the effects from kidney disease.

Every year my daughters and I can’t wait for March to arrive so we can drive by Wendy’s Restaurants and see the big sign that reads “March is kidney health month”. We make sure to visit the restaurant as many times as we can during the month to make our donations.
 My family gives a big “thank-you” to Wendy’s for thinking of all the people, like myself, who need the support of The Kidney Foundation. We appreciate that a huge restaurant chain takes part in such an important event every year.

March 14 was World Kidney Day — a special day devoted to promoting kidney health. Wendy’s Restaurants also participated in this event, donating 100% of the proceed from its chili sales to The Kidney Foundation.

March also marks the anniversary (although not one that I celebrate) of the month I began dialysis. This year will be 16 years ago since I started and I hope it will be the last. I am hoping to end this event in my life and finally receive a kidney transplant.

Please try to get out to a Wendy’s and give a much-appreciated donation. Your contribution is bigger than you realize.

And take good care of those kidneys!

Jennifer Laferriere is a community correspondent for Garden City.