On Sunday, September 25, volunteers from the Church of God in North Brunswick and in Spring Lake took part in the New Jersey Walk for PKD 2016. Held at Mercer County Park in West Windsor, NJ, the annual walk supports the fight against polycystic kidney disease. However, this is the first time the World Mission Church of God participated in it.
Polycystic kidney disease (PKD) is a genetic disease, passed from an affected parent to their child. Polycystic kidney disease causes uncontrolled growth of cysts in the kidney. Moreover, it can ultimately lead to kidney failure. There are two forms of PKD which are autosomal dominant and autosomal recessive. However, the most common form of PKD is autosomal dominant. Autosomal dominant PKD affects over 600,000 people in America and 12.4 million people worldwide. As for autosomal recessive PKD is a rare form of the disease. Nonetheless, it occurs in 1 in 20,000 children worldwide.
On a cloudless September morning, nearly 40 volunteers arrived at the park to begin preparation for the event. The volunteers wasted no time blowing up balloons, setting up walking markers along the trail and hanging up banners. Also, as walk participants began to come, volunteers worked the registration booths and distributed wrist bands.
Once the walk began, the volunteers took their places to begin a cheering on the walkers to put some pep in their step. They set themselves up along the trail in two rows. As a result, the walkers felt encouragement from all directions. Holding up motivational signs, the volunteers chanted, “I can do it! You can do it! We can do it! Let’s find a cure for PKD!” The walkers responded with smiles and thumbs up, and some even danced free-spiritedly to the cheers. In fact, Ryan, a New Jersey Walk for PKD volunteer, being moved by the cheers, stated that he was overjoyed to see such enthusiasm.
The walk concluded at the West Picnic Area where Stacey McClain, the walk coordinator for the New Jersey Chapter of the PKD Foundation gave a short speech. She thanked everyone who came out for the event. Furthermore, she gave a special thank you to the Church of God volunteers for their help as well as their fervent cheers. “This is the largest gathering of volunteers I have ever seen as my 9 years as a walking coordinator for the New Jersey Chapter,” said Stacey McClain. In conclusion, the walk was a great success, raising over $20,000 to help find a cure for PKD.
