Greater Baltimore Kidney Walk Returning to Camden Yards

LUTHERVILLE, Md. – The National Kidney Foundation of Maryland will hold its 14th annual Greater Baltimore Kidney Walk, Sunday, Apr. 17, at Camden Yards Sports Complex (333 West Camden St., 21201).

Approximately 6,000 people are expected to participate in the fun, inspiring, community fundraiser, which calls attention to the need for organ donation and prevention of kidney disease, which is the 9th leading cause of death in the United States and kills more people every year than breast cancer or prostate cancer.

“With the increase in diabetes and high blood pressure, kidney disease is on the rise,” said Traci Barnett, NKF-MD’s president and CEO. “This signature event helps the National Kidney Foundation of Maryland to build awareness, drive prevention and support treatment of kidney disease, which affects approximately 9,300 Marylanders.”

Registration will begin at 9 a.m. in Parking Lot C, where guests will be greeted by a cast of characters and mascots. Following warm-up exercises and a brief opening ceremony emceed by WJZ-TV Anchor Mary Bubala, the Walk will kick off at 10 a.m.

After taking the 2-mile path around the stadium, everyone can reconvene in Parking Lot C for complimentary refreshments, music and performances, and activities for the whole family. The KidsZone, sponsored by Home Depot, will feature children’s building projects, face painting, coloring, temporary tattoos and more!

Adding to the excitement, KidneyCon will debut with ComicWow!, Diamond Comic Distributors and Geppi’s Entertainment Museum as presenting sponsors. Walkers are encouraged to dress as their favorite comic book, cartoon, game or pop culture character. There will be a costume contest, t-shirt decorating, prizes, giveaways – including capes for all children in attendance courtesy of Maryland Proton Treatment Center – and other fun ways to recognize kidney survivors and donors as superheroes.

VIPsAll-Star Centerfielder Adam Jones is the Celebrity Ambassador. Corporate chairman is John Zipp (Regional Vice President, Business Development, Transamerica Affinity Services, Inc.). Co-chairs are Gina Geppi (Marketing Director, ComicWOW!) and Rasoul Motavalli (Chief Technology Officer, Kelly and Associates Insurance Company).

The Geppi Family is the Ambassador Family. Steve Geppi has served on the Kidney Walk Revenue Committee, been a long-time Walk sponsor and annually hosted the event’s kickoff at Geppi’s Entertainment Museum. His daughter, Gina Geppi has rappelled for kidney health and volunteered with Kidney Walk. Son-in-law, Nick Patras, manages the Timonium Kohl’s store, which provides funding and volunteers for the Walk. Nick’s daughter, Quinn, was born in Sept. 2014 with just one kidney, which will always have fluid around it. NKF-MD has dedicated the Greater Baltimore Kidney Walk in her honor.

REGISTRATION
Funds raised through Kidney Walk will directly support NKF-MD’s patient services, education and research efforts. In addition to the Baltimore event, NKF-MD will hold additional Spring Kidney Walk events in Salisbury, Md. and Cape Henlopen, De.

Participation is free and $100 is the minimum amount required to earn a Walk t-shirt. Companies, friends and families are encouraged to participate and form teams. Sponsorships are also available. To register or learn about sponsorship or volunteer opportunities, call 410-494-8545 or visit www.kidneywalk.org.

The walks are nationally presented by Mallinckrodt, Fresenius Vascular Care and NXStage. Local sponsors are Alderson Loop, Independent Dialysis Foundation, Inc., MedStar Good Samaritan Hospital, Ober/Kaler, That Mattress Place, Transamerica and presenting sponsor, Mid-Atlantic Nephrology Associates, P.A. (MANA), which will distribute orange caps to kidney patients and green caps to transplant donors and recipients.

More than 6,000 people participated in the 2015 Kidney Walk events, which raised over $475,000. Nationally, more than 75,000 walkers participate each year to raise over $8 million, with more than 80 cents of every dollar donated directly supporting programs and services.

KIDNEY DISEASE FACTS
-1 in 3 American adults is at risk for kidney disease.
-The risk of developing kidney disease increases to 1 in 2 over the course of a lifetime.
-1 in 9 American adults has kidney disease –– and most don’t know it.
-10-12 Marylanders die daily awaiting a life-saving organ.
-Approximately 427,000 Americans are on dialysis, with treatment costs for the average patient at $70,000 per year.

ABOUT NKF-MD
Serving central and western Maryland, the Delmarva Peninsula and portions of Virginia and West Virginia, the National Kidney Foundation of Maryland is the area’s only voluntary health agency dedicated to preventing kidney and urinary tract diseases, improving the health and well-being of individuals and families affected by these diseases, and increasing the availability of all organs for transplantation. For more information, visit www.kidneymd.org.