Due to delays in FirstGiving forwarding funds to the National Kidney Foundation, a new fund raising page has been created on the NKF's official website. Please go to
http://donate.kidney.org/goto/Riding4Renal
to sponsor this effort.
IT'S OFFICIAL! I'M REGISTERED FOR THE TRIPLE BYPASS!!
Registration for all 3500 spots sold out in less than an hour... I interrupted a doctor appointment for a shoulder injury (bicycle accident) to get mine in, using a computer at my doctor's office.
Thank you for visiting my Riding for Renal Fundraising Page. I'm currently training for the Triple Bypass Bicycle Challenge on July 10, 2010- 120 miles through the Colorado Rockies, crossing 3 mountain passes and reaching an elevation of nearly 12,000 ft. I am dedicating my training and this ride to raising awareness about renal disease, and raising funds to help others who face its challenges.
Ten years ago, I was diagnosed with Collapsing Glomerulopathy, a severe kidney disease that in most cases leads to end stage renal failure, a life of dialysis, and death. I was lucky. I recovered. For two years, I was in and out of hospitals. During one of those years, I spent a total of four months hospitalized, a week or two or three at a time. My recovery was slow. Since then, it has been a long road recovering my energy levels and strength.
Today I am healthy, and am pursuing a career in medicine. In my efforts to increase my fitness, I am taking it upon myself to train for this challenge which I've wanted to do for a long time. If, through this, I can also help bring about awareness about renal disease and help in the prevention of some of the more common forms, which ARE preventable, all the better. If I can help raise funds to help support those who are already affected, even better still.
Help me bring about awareness to prevent kidney disease, and to raise funds to help research and assist people in overcoming kidney disease, just as I overcame it. You just might help save a life! The National Kidney Foundation helps a lot of people by helping to find transplants, assistance with health care costs for those on dialysis, and much more.
Donating through this site is tax deductible, simple, fast and completely secure. It is also the most efficient way to make a contribution to our fundraising efforts. Many thanks for your support -- and don't forget to forward this to anyone who you think might want to donate too!
Please follow my training blog for information about my own journey, my training for this extreme bicycle race, health and safety tips, and more! http://www.livestrong.com/profile/CircaRigel
For the full history of the challenges I faced, and where this all began, please view this blog entitled "Anniversary... the day it began- Diagnosis"
You may also find a video playlist, here.
We are still looking for team members. If you are registered for the Triple Bypass and would like to join the Riding for Renal team and ride for the National Kidney Foundation, please email my National Kidney Foundation Contact, Tracey Nilson, at Tracey.Nilson@kidney.org
Thanks for your support! -Belinda