For local contractor, this weekend's Kidney Walk is personal

Local contractor Mike Moore is giving his time and money to find a cure for kidney disease.

Like so many others, his battle with kidney disease is personal.

“I was on home dialysis for about three years and then in January I got a stomach infection. I was in the ICU for a month, then I had to go for dialysis treatments at the hospital. And it’s forever because there is no cure,” Moore told SooToday.

He undergoes dialysis treatments at Sault Area Hospital from 7:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. every Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday.

Determined to not let the tiring and time-consuming treatments slow him down, Moore said: “I work 12 or 13 hours a day. When I’m done dialysis I come back to my office. I get tired sometimes, especially on dialysis day.”

Regardless, the owner of Mike Moore Construction will be joining a team of Algoma Regional Renal Program nurses known as Nephro On The Go in the local edition of this year’s Kidney Foundation Kidney Walk this weekend.

The annual event is held in communities across the country at various times throughout the year and raises funds for kidney disease research. 

This weekend will mark the first time Moore has joined a team for the Kidney Walk.

“They’re absolutely great at the renal department,” Moore said.

“They asked me for a donation then they jokingly said: ‘Do you want to come on the walk?’ And I said sure. I see them three times a week for five hours and they’re like family so when they asked me to join I had to jump at it. We’ll have a great time.”

Registration for the Sault’s five-kilometre Kidney Walk along the boardwalk begins at 9 a.m., with the walk itself beginning at 10 a.m. at Roberta Bondar Pavilion on Sunday, Sept. 24.

“I actually have to change my dialysis this weekend to Saturday so I can do the walk on Sunday. I’m with seven nurses so if I can’t finish the walk they’ll just drag me,” Moore laughed.

“I couldn’t be in better hands.”

As of Monday afternoon, the 14-member Nephro On The Go team had raised $21,490 of an original $22,000 fundraising goal for this year’s walk.

Moore said that because so many donations have been received, the team has increased its fundraising goal to $25,000.  

Moore has raised $1,220 of a personal goal of $1,500 under the donor name No Moore Dialysis leading up to Sunday’s walk.

“I’ve gone out to all my construction contacts and they’re donating unbelievable amounts,” Moore said.

“The more people I’ve contacted for donations the more I hear about people who have been affected by kidney disease. The mother of a friend of mine passed away last week from kidney disease.”

Nephro On The Go sits at the top of the list of Ontario teams in regards to fundraising, the local fundraising goal of $35,000 already reached.

With $35,045 raised, Sault Ste. Marie ranks fifth on the Top 20 list of Ontario communities raising funds for Kidney Walks to be held across the province this weekend.   

While devoting much attention to the cause, Moore is also sharing some health advice with the community.

“Get your blood sugar checked. There are things that can be done to stop it but if you don’t know, and you’d never be able to tell, then it can develop into a real mess and there is no reversal.”

Moore said that because of the time he spends on dialysis treatments, he and his wife can’t travel to their cottage or take vacations unless there is a dialysis clinic nearby.

He added that those clinics can cost approximately $1,000 USD.

“I’m hoping for a cure,” Moore said.

More information on this Sunday’s Kidney Walk, such as registration and how to donate, can be found on the event’s website.