Prince George, B.C. – It’s an annual event aimed at raising awareness and helping improve the lives of people with chronic kidney disease and it happens again this Sunday.

The Prince George Kidney Walk will take place at the UNBC Northern Sports Centre at 2:00 p.m. (registration is at 1 and the opening ceremonies at 1:45).

Spokesperson Paul Duperron knows the challenges of kidney disease better than most having been diagnosed with the immune complex glomerulonephritis back in 1985.

“I was told that my kidneys would slowly fail over time and that there’s no cure for it,” he says. “I went on for 22 years and finally went on dialysis in February 2007. I was on that for four and a half years and then I received a call for a transplant in Vancouver.”

Unfortunately, the 58-year-old says the transplant “didn’t take” and he went back on dialysis in 2014.

“That’s where I’m at now and hopefully I can stay healthy enough to get a call someday for another transplant and hopefully that goes well.”

He says proceeds from the event will pay for local activities for kidney patients such as their Christmas luncheon and their picnic out at Ness Lake.

To register for the walk or to make a donation to the Kidney Foundation click here.