Terry Hayes has a battle on his hands as he awaits a kidney transplant, but he is doing his bit with Bairnsdale Regional Health Service Dialysis Unit patients and staff to raise money for Kidney Health Australia.
The team, known as the BRHS Kidney Beanz, is stepping up the fight against kidney disease for Kidney Health Australia’s Red Socks Run fundraiser in October.
The aim is for each member of the team to cover 60km in October as they raise money for the cause. Some will walk or run while some, like Terry, will use stationary cycles in the BRHS Dialysis Unit to do their part.
They aim to raise $5,000 for Kidney Health Australia to support research and kidney disease support services.
Terry, 64, a Gunaikurnai man from Lakes Entrance, developed kidney disease 24 years ago as a result of diabetes. He’s been in transplant work-up since 2018 and joined the transplant list officially last year.
While his situation is tough, and he’s had some confronting conversations with his loved ones, he says he stays positive and he’s looking ahead.
“I worry about it. It’s pretty hard when you’ve got to sit down and wait and wait and wait, you know,” he said.
“I’ve got a son who says, ‘Dad, I’ll give you a kidney so that you can stay with me a bit longer so we’ve got time together’. He doesn’t like seeing me like this. It’s pretty hard for him because he’s only 15.
“I keep telling him to wait because something might pop up. We just have to keep our fingers crossed. That’s all. Every night, he says, ‘Dad, don’t leave me’, and I say, ‘I’m not done here yet’.”
Terry has 10 children, seven great-grandchildren and many grandchildren: “Oooooh, I’ve got a few of ‘em. Too many to count.” he laughed.
Terry said he’s known fellow dialysis patients who have passed away because of kidney disease, but he said his family gives him the inspiration to keep on keeping on.
“It’s hard. It really pulls you down (when someone dies), but you’ve got to think about yourself and your own health and keep on going. I keep on going for my son, and my grandkids and great-grandkids,” he said.
Support the Kidney Beanz
The Red Socks Run supports kidney disease research and Kidney Health Australia initiatives like Transplant House, which offer accommodation for transplant patients, their loved ones and carers during their transplant treatment in Perth, Adelaide and Melbourne.
It also funds the Big Red Kidney Bus project. These buses operate in Victoria and NSW, offering 6 dialysis chairs for people with kidney disease so that they can enjoy a holiday away from home and their local dialysis unit.
Kidney Health Australia also develops and produces resources to support new kidney patients at dialysis units around Australia and provides health professionals with the tools to best manage kidney disease at all stages.
BRHS Kidney Beanz member and Dialysis Unit Administration Support Officer Barb Dobson said dialysis staff will be joined by clients, who will cover 60km each alongside our BRHS runners – virtually.
“It’s only just under 2km a day for each day for a month,” Barb said.
“And we have stationary bikes for our clients so they can get their 2km a day in.”
There are two ways that you can support the Red Socks Run.
You can donate directly to the BRHS Kidney Beanz here.
Or, you can go to the Kidney Health Australia Red Socks Run website.