Brett Thoms
Shawville September 18, 2022
Randy Russell, resident of Sand Bay, wants to make sure that people turn out for the Pontiac Kidney walk on October 2 at the Shawville Fairgrounds.
Russell has a disease called polycystic kidneys, which causes people to be born with thousands of cysts on their kidneys, which only grow as the individual ages.
“[The cysts] fill up with liquid and what they end up doing is preventing the kidneys from doing their job, killing the nephrons which are the little filters in the kidneys.”
His experience with the disease has given him a unique perspective on life and a . . .
sense of how important research is into creating and refining treatments.
“I was in renal failure in the summer of 2017 and my wife gave me a kidney,’’ said Russell who then had to struggle with immunosuppressant drugs.
However, he eventually recovered.
“I was 60 when I had the transplant and honestly, I hadn’t felt that well since probably about the age 30, when I started my decline,” he said.
It’s a disease that Russell can trace back five generations in his family, with each generation receiving better treatment due to scientific advances.
He believes that his great grandfather died from renal failure, his grandmother had to be bled in order for the toxins to be filtered out of her body, his father had to go on dialysis and later died of complications. He had to get a kidney transplant, but his son has managed to live with the disease remarkably well.
“The treatment he’s receiving is amazing, ‘’ said Russell. “With the money that was spent on research they came up with a new drug that prevents the cysts from growing and if the cyst can’t grow, you won’t end up in renal failure.”
He and his wife have been involved in the Kidney Walk for about 9 years, but for the first years he did so in Gatineau. After he moved to Pontiac when he retired he started a kidney walk in the Pontiac.
The first Pontiac Kidney Walk was wildly successful, with the goal being set at $10,000, but the ultimate amount of money raised for the Kidney Foundation hit $15,000, according to Russell.
“We’ve met our target every year so far, this year it’s a little slower, ‘’ he said. “But I mean, I think that’s totally understandable given the times we’re living in and what we’re coming out of.”
Russell wants to do all he can to ensure that there’s a good turnout for the walk. He said there will be food, music and information on The Kidney Foundation, which provides millions of dollars for research into kidney disease like his.
“It’s like a Sunday afternoon party. People have a blast. And we raise good money for the Kidney Foundation.
Russell said if it’s raining, the Ag. Society will offer him the arena so the event can go on.
Russell said that registration for the event starts at 11:30 a.m on Sunday October 2 and the whole event is done by 4:00 p.m.
