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Haley Newkirk
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I write today to thank you for the opportunity I had to represent the National Kidney Foundation of Wisconsin (NKFW) at our local health fair –
an opportunity to laud the good works of the organization as well as to distribute literature on kidney disease and managing the loss of a kidney.
My personal interest in volunteering for the NKFW stems from the excellent support the Foundation gave to our family in Colorado for my great granddaughter Haley who lost the function of her kidneys at the age of 14 – no known etiology.
The first six months after Haley’s kidney failure were the most difficult for the family as well as for Haley. It was during this time that the National Kidney Foundation got involved with the case, offering help and much needed support. Haley was on both hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis for less than a year when last Thanksgiving she received a kidney – a successful operation!
She has adjusted well to the life of an active, curious teenager. Last summer, Haley ran her first triathlon in Door County. She just completed a three-week course at Stanford University in Microbiology. In July of 2010, as a member of Team Rocky Mountain, Haley plans to be a part of the National Kidney Foundation U.S. Transplant Games® in Madison, Wis.
Again, thank you for the Foundation’s continued support. I am a very proud great grandmother,
Irene G. Newkirk
Sturgeon Bay
