Pat Dangelantonio, who was formerly living with kidney disease, Lisa and Jimmy his story. Pat says after his transplant, he felt like he got his life back.
Nicole Scharf, with the National Kidney Foundation of MD’s Eastern Shore and Southern Delaware, says that the best part of her job is getting to meet the patients. They have fundraising events that raise money and awareness for research, as it relates to kidney disease, as well as transplants.
They also offer free KEY screenings to check for kidney disease. KEY stands for “kidneys: evaluate yours” and Nicole says high blood pressure and diabetes are the two leading risk factors for kidney disease.
Pat says the message he wants to give is that once you’re over 45 years old, you need to go to the doctor to get your blood work checked. He then shows his scar of what he had to go through. Pat shows his fistula which was used when he had dialysis. A fistula is an access made by joining an artery and vein in your arm. Pat says even after you get a transplant, the fistula will always remain in your arm. For Pat, it is a daily reminder of what he went through and he is thankful for where he is today
Kidney Walk in Salisbury
When: Sunday, May 3
Where: Winterplace Park in Salisbury, Md.
Time: Registration begins at 9 a.m., walk begins at 10 a.m.
