About the Walk & PKD

Our goal is to raise awareness about PKD and to help support the efforts being made by the PKD foundation in finding a cure for this devastating disease.  As it stands there is currently no treatment or cure for PKD and the disease is effecting more and more of the worlds population each day.  Our daughter Grace has been diagnosed with ARPKD (autosomal recessive polycystic kidney disease) which affects infants and occurs only a rare 1 in 20,000.  The term polycystic refers to the large number of cysts that invade and plant themselves deeply on the kidneys.  Eventually these micro-cysts will complete a total take over and the kidneys end up in a state of complete failure.  After this point, as of now, there are only three options after this occurs, death, a kidney transplant, or going on dialysis.  The statistics paint a grim picture, but there is hope.

Currently research is being conducted to produce artificial kidneys, which will not only replace the infected kidneys, but will also eliminate the need for immunosuppressant drugs that are required when receiving a traditional kidney transplant, as well as the continued work being done on stem cell research which can help re-create perfectly healthy organs.  With the help of the community we can fight this disease and bring hope to the growing number of individuals who have to deal with PKD’s wrath on a daily basis.  Thank you for your support and may your own fight in the world inspire hope.

Nicasio, Nicole & Grace