Without the help of others, Sherri Barron would be a widow.
Her husband Allen was diagnosed with polycystic kidney disease 13 years ago. Since then she's watched the love of her life deal with the disease, now at end stage renal failure.
"That is just something I wouldn't wish upon anybody," Barron said.
Allen sleeps up to 18 hours a day. He can't eat and suffers from constant itching and nausea.
"It's not easy. He's sick all the time," she said. "Unfortunately when we go to the ER they know us by name."
But there is hope. Thanks to new treatments, Allen can now receive dialysis at home. And in June he was put on the transplant list.
None of that would be possible without the Kidney Foundation of Canada, which held the aptly named Gift of Life Walk at Marina Park Sunday morning.
"Without the dialysis he wouldn't be with me anymore," Barron said as around 80 people gathered ready to walk and raise $7,000 for the local chapter.
"This is amazing."
Fundraising coordinator Marion Harms said it was the biggest turnout for the walk that she's seen. She credits the growth to moving the walk to Sunday instead of the usual Saturday. Because renal patients have to receive treatments six days a week, they were usually in hospital when the walk took place.
The money, which stays in Thunder Bay, helps with travel along with other support for patients.
