The walk started as a school project for Jonathan LaChance in 2010, but the LaChance Walk/5k for Kidneys is now in its fourth year at Cass Park in Ithaca, N.Y., and has raised over $38,000 to raise awareness for Kidney Disease and supporting local patients.
“I wanted to do something for the community and say that I left with something in Ithaca,” LaChance said.
LaChance started this event in 2010 while he was a senior at Ithaca College. He wanted to create an event to support his father, David LaChance, who is afflicted with end-stage renal kidney disease.
“It has done very well and it has helped a lot of people in the community,” Jonathan’s father. David said.
The event started very small in April of 2010 but has grown into a much bigger event said local Nephrologist and annual participant, Dr. Robert A Hesson M.D.
“There were 40 people the first year, and there has been more and more [participants] every year. The first year, there were basically no sponsors, and now there are people that provide refreshments and prizes,” he said.
All funds raised at this event go to the Northeast Kidney Foundation which makes sure that those funds go right back into the community supporting kidney treatment. Executive Director of the Northeast Kidney Foundation, Carol Lafleur said that the purpose of this 5k/Walk is to raise awareness in the community of kidney and to raise money for local patients.
“Funds from events like these are used for patient assistance, [local] community outreach programs and awareness, advocacy at the federal level and kidney screenings,” LaFleur said.
To learn more about the Northeast Kidney Foundation and upcoming events, visit www.healthykidneys.org.
Facility administrator at the Ithaca Dialysis Clinic, one of the organizations that see the benefits of this event, Catherine Lama attended the event this year and commended its successes.
“Kidney care is the basis of what we do everyday,” said Lama. “It is wonderful that people are coming out here to support the Northeast Kidney Foundation, their education and early kidney [disease] detection readings.”
