Be Healthy, Be Happy: The National Kidney Foundation Dinner For This Year's Long Island Kidney Walk

Hi everyone... this is Jody and I would like to take this time to inform everyone that on May 23rd, 2010 (which is a Sunday), the National Kidney Foundation will hold it's 3rd Annual Long Island Kidney Walk at Hofstra University in Hempstead, Long Island in New York. I formed my own team- 'Be Healthy, Be Happy' for the occasion and I and my team members will be out there in full force along with all the other teams and their members as well as many others. We walk with the goal of raising awareness about chronic kidney disease (CKD) and to raise funds so that the National Kidney Foundation can continue doing all the great necessary things that it does for those with CKD and to educate others so that they will hopefully never get the disease.

Last year, I walked at the Kidney Walk for the first time and I really had a wonderful experience. I met many new people and I also found out that yes, I can walk 5K (3.1 miles). For those of you who live in the New York City metro area as well those who live elsewhere but plan on being in the neighborhood that weekend, I invite you to come on out and walk with us. Your participation and support is surely needed and will be greatly appreciated. Besides, you will have a good time.

Last night, the National Kidney Foundation held it's kick-off dinner for this year's Long Island Kidney Walk. My good friend Catherine Heed (who is also one of my nurses at Winthrop University Hospital Dialysis Center) and I attended the event together. I must say that we really, really had a great time. We saw a few people that we knew and met many more new people. We even got the chance to meet, chat with, and take pictures with Grizz Chapman, one of the stars of the Emmy winning NBC television show '30 Rock'. He also is a dialysis patient and was there to kindly lend his support for the cause. The whole event was really nice- the food, the atmosphere, and several people gave some enlightening presentations. Even I spoke before the attendees... and you know I had to promote the 'Be Healthy, Be Happy' blog. Below are a few pictures that Catherine and I took at the event.