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February 2015
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Who needs online dating? We had Kidney March.





Are you making your list of reasons to not register for Kidney March? Like you, Jason Hofer had lots of them. At the time, he was at the hospital dialyzing three times every week, and had been waiting for a kidney transplant for eight years. Plus, he'd had both hips and a shoulder replaced over 2007 and 2008, a result of complications from his kidney disease. He decided to March anyway.

Jason registered as crew in 2013, together with his sister, Michelle, who was marching for the first time. Throughout the three days of Kidney March, he was impressed by the commitment of his sister and others he met along the way. He also noticed a cute girl, Amanda Hennessey, who was marching in memory of her mom. When Amanda was nine, she lost her mother as a result of kidney disease . Amanda was diagnosed with the same hereditary form of polycystic kidney disease in 2012. Amanda met Michelle as they walked the route, and they got to know each other as Marchers do. Michelle pointed out Amanda to Jason. Amanda noticed Jason too, and what a positive, enthusiastic spirit he had.

On day three, Jason struck up a conversation with Amanda at the last pit stop. She was taking a break while having her legs iced. Their "like" was mutual. Keeping in touch after the March, they saw each other at the Kidney March Alumni Reunion and again at the Kidney March Expo in April. Jason finally asked Amanda out on a date in June. They’ve been together ever since.

Inspired by others who Marched while on dialysis, Jason decided to March in 2014 with his sister Michelle and their parents. Amanda took a turn crewing. Jason’s attitude, “Kidney disease doesn’t rule your life, if you don’t let it,” along with the support of his family and Kidney March friends, kept him going over the three days.

On December 10, Jason got the long awaited call that a kidney was available for him. The night before his transplant, he had one thing he needed to do. He asked Amanda to marry him. She said yes without hesitation. The EKG technician filmed the proposal on Jason’s iPhone. Jason was released from the hospital to continue his recovery at home on December 27.

His new kidney is working perfectly, he and Amanda have registered to crew together for Kidney March 2015. Amanda says, “Before Kidney March, I had only seen the darkest side of kidney disease, losing my Mom to it. Kidney March is such a positive, powerful experience. I met so many inspiring people, it really changed my life.” Kidney Foundation, Executive Director, Joyce Van Deurzen, suggests that Kidney March camp would be a perfect place for a wedding in September.



Step up to March. Change your life and the lives of others by making a huge difference.

Kidney March 2015, September 11-13. You can do this!

Register now www.kidneymarch.ca.



OUR 2014 EVENTS
Kidney March Expo

Sunday, April 19
Delta Calgary South

11:00 FYI Session
12:00 EXPO
2:00 5 km Training Walk

Free Parking

Bring along friends and family!



"Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear, not absence of fear."

- Mark Twain
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