My name is Patti O'Grady Ruffin, and I am the Volunteer Coodinator for the Virtual San Antonio Walk for PKD.  I have lost 5 family members before age 54, including my father and sister.  After two years on dialysis, a coworker gave me a kidney in 2005.  My brother received a kidney in 2003; and our youngest sister just received a kidney 4/14/2021! 

The Annual Walk for PKD is our signature fundraising and awareness event. The PKD Foundation has opted to have ALL PKD walks held virtually from October 8-17, 2021, allowing individuals and teams to walk wiithin their own neighborhoods/parks.  Our population consists of family members living with PKD at diffefrent stages (including dialysis/pre- and post-transplant patients), this ensures the health and safety of our community.  Participants will include patients, family members, friends, and supporters over this 10 day virtual walk.  The funds raised through the Walk for PKD help us take strides toward reaching our goal to end PKD and ensure no one faces the disease alone.   There are two types of PKD - Autosominal Dominant PKD (which is a progressive diseae leading to end stage kidney disease in adults) and Autosomal Recessive PKD which impacts chidren - rare that it impacts 1 in 20,000 children.  IF these children live, they usually need dialysis or transplant by age 8.  We have 4 families in San Antonio area that have ARPKD (one child did not survive past 8 days).  I have lost 5 family members to PKD before age 54 (including my sister and dad).  My brother is 18 years post transplant; and a sister is newly transplanted.  After 2 years on dialysis while working at UT Health San Antonio, I generous coworker gave me a kidney on 12/15/05  Upon retirement in 2009 at age 54, I knew I needed to volunteer to raise awareness for PKD and organ donation

We are requesting Gift-in-Kind Donations.   These items are used to recognize top fundraisers from the 2020 SA Walk for PKD; recognize outstanding volunteer of the year; provide incentives for special fundraising weeks; and added to other donations for a big drawing for individuals who raise $100 or more.

PKD is a chronic genetic disease causing uncontrolled growth of fluid-filled cysts in kidneys often leading to kidney failure.  It affects all gender, racial, and ethnic groups equally.  Enlargement of the cysts destroy healthy kidney tissue, cause high blood pressure.  A typical kidney is the size of a human fist and weights about a third of a pound.  A polycystic kidney grows to be as large as a football. 

For more information, pleae go to pkdcure.org as we work together to #endpkd