By Goya Dmytryshchak
A Seaholme couple has signed up for a fundraiser to help fight kidney disease.
George and Maroula Said have registered separately for the Big Red Kidney Walk in a friendly competition, but they know first-hand how serious the disease is.
Mr Said, who will be on his electric scooter with his wife by his side for the event, undergoes dialysis every other day.
“I started having kidney failure for a long time,” the 85-year-old said.
“Every so often, I would have blood tests and they would tell me you’re 60 per cent [functioning], you’re 50 per cent, until I got down to 20 per cent and they said, you shouldn’t go any further, you should have dialysis.
“Every second day I devote six and a half hours to stay alive. If I don’t do that, they tell me I would last seven days.
“But it’s wonderful to be at home rather than the hospital.”
The Big Red Kidney Walk is a 3.8-kilometre walk around the Royal Botanic Gardens to help Kidney Health Australia deliver life-saving support services to people with kidney disease.
The disease kills more Australians than breast cancer, prostate cancer and road trauma combined.
Mrs Said, 84, is walking to support her husband and all the children and adults living with kidney disease.
“I said to George, I’ve got to start walking because I’ve got to walk for two hours,” she said. “So, I’m in training.”
The walk is on September 9 from 10am-noon.
To donate or register, visit www.bigredkidneywalk.org.au.
Goya Dmytryshchak
