A physically and emotionally grueling weekend can be made easier when you’re doing it with your sisters. Especially when it’s in honour of your father. Okotoks resident Nancy Rattray and her four sisters – Cindi Chaisson, Stacey Whitman, Sara Hill and Naomi Hansford – are taking on the Kidney March from Sept. 7-9, a 100-kilometre trek starting at the Millarville Race Track and going through Kananaskis to Canada Olympic Park in Calgary. This is their second year walking for their dad, Fred Hansford. “He has polycystic kidney disease (PKD),” said Rattray. “It’s a hereditary disease, so you all have to be tested for it and unfortunately it can be passed down to our children as well.” The family didn’t realize until years after Fred’s father passed away that the brain aneurism had actually been caused by PKD. Naomi has been diagnosed with PKD, but everyone is stable at the moment, said Rattray. Even Fred, who was at about eight per cent kidney function at this time last year, is in fairly good health. That’s due to his eldest daughter donating a kidney to him a year ago. “My dad required a kidney transplant, so my oldest sister was the best match for him,” said Rattray. “It took more than two years to get the process in place, and by the time he had the surgery he was at eight per cent, which is pretty close to not functioning. When he left the surgery he was at 72 per cent.” Kidney disease was something Rattray didn’t know much about until her father was diagnosed. Then she started learning more about how it affects lives. Doing the Kidney March in 2017 with three of her sisters (one was getting ready for the transplant surgery and sat that one out) was life-changing, she said. It was incredible to see how many people are affected by kidney disease, including young children, and how many are actually dying because of it, she said. “And how many people just give their kidneys to random strangers,” said Rattray. “That one I wish I would be able to do, but I have brain cancer so unfortunately I’m not able to donate, so instead I bring awareness to it, donate because of it, try to get other people to donate money or sign up to be a donor.” The Kidney March is a large part of her awareness campaign. This year, all five of Fred’s daughters are walking, calling themselves the Kidney Sisters. Fred is joining in as well, though he won’t be walking yet this year – instead, he’s signed up to be on crew and volunteer along the walk route. Together they have raised nearly $12,000, which is their fundraising goal for 2018. As of Sept. 4, the Kidney March has raised a total of $700,476 before walkers reached the starting line. Last year the march raised $777,239. It’s a difficult walk, but Rattray said the physical part is only the beginning. She comes with extra socks and shoes to play it safe, and trains at the gym throughout the year as much as possible. It’s the emotional toll she didn’t see coming last year. “You meet a lot of people who have gone through some very tough times,” said Rattray. “There are people who have no kidney and they’re still walking, they’re going through dialysis as soon as they get off the walk into camp.” She said it was more emotionally challenging than physically demanding, hearing the stories people told about their journeys and trials with kidney disease. “But it was also so good because when you were struggling those also lifted you up to keep going,” said Rattray. “Even when they were at their toughest place they were still smiling and pushing you along.” The best part of the three-day trek was the final leg, and not only because it meant the end was in sight, she said. Walking into Calgary brought a feeling of triumph, especially as the marchers entered COP, she said. “You’re walking in and all your family and friends are cheering for you, and you’re crying because you can’t not,” said Rattray. “It’s emotional because you’ve walked this far, but it’s emotionally draining at that point. But to know all those people are rooting you on…”
