“HAVE THE CONVERSATION
– SAY YES TO ORGAN DONATION”
Punchestown Charity Race 2023
2022 was a phenomenal year for the PKRF and we managed to raise €93,576.55 from the Charity Race which is a record for the past 31 years of running of the PKRF Charity Race. Leinster & Ireland rugby player James Tracy raised an additional €21,925.74 from his brave February Freezebury Challenge, which means the total raised as raised for 2022 is €115,502.29 which puts the cumulative total raised to date at €1,702,677.29 to date which is incredible.
Along with that we also managed to create a huge amount of Organ Donor Awareness last April, which is so important to give hope to all the patients waiting on a Life Saving Organ Transplant.
During the past year we managed to support the following projects:
- Our 2 flagship projects were the development of a Pilot Peer Support program and also an Exercise Program for Kidney Patients – explained in more detail below.
- We continued our research into Polycystic Kidney Disease in partnership with the Irish Nephrology Society under the guidance of the Irish Research Council.
- We continued our support for our Art Therapy programs for Dialysis Patients in Tallaght & Waterford Dialysis Units.
- We continued our support for our Sports Program for Dialysis & Transplant Patients.
- Organised trips to Lourdes for Dialysis patients.
In 2022, The PKRF partnered with the Irish Kidney Association to set up a Pilot Peer Support Program to help Kidney Patients and their Families. This Support Network is for patients and their families who are starting out on the road to Dialysis or looking at the possibility of a life - saving Kidney Transplant. This Support Network enables people to reach out and connect with a trained Volunteer, to discuss their concerns about Dialysis and Transplantation.
In November 2022 the PKRF also started the James Tracy/PKRF Beam exercise & wellbeing program for all kidney patients in Ireland. As you know, physical activity levels for kidney patients can be low, with high levels of sedentary behaviour. The James Tracy/PKRF program enables kidney patients to access online, live and on-demand exercise classes. These classes can help improve the physical and emotional wellbeing of kidney patients as well as providing access to educational health videos and renal dietary advice, which is so important for kidney patients.
The James Tracy/PKRF program is suitable for patients at all stages of kidney disease; including pre-dialysis, dialysis as well as those transplanted and is free for all kidney patients to use. We know this program will have an immediate and very positive effect of the lives of all kidney patients.
In 2023 the PKRF aims to raise sufficient funds to continue our Peer Support Program, continue our Kidney Research projects, maintain our Sports program as well as continue our Art Therapy projects.
Should you have any queries please do not hesitate to contact me at 086/2349919.
Yours sincerely,
James Nolan
Punchestown kidney research fund
