The second annual Morden Kidney Walk honoured the life of founder Jenn Derksen this weekend.

Derksen coordinated the inaugural event last year before passing away from the chronic disease this June. Participants held a moment of silence before releasing 46 purple balloons in her memory.

This year approximately $10,000 was raised for the Manitoba Kidney Foundation.

Despite the cooler temperature this Sunday at Morden Park, many participants came out to show their support, including Barb Nichol who also lives with the disease.

Once finding out she had kidney disease, Nichol says she was scared.

With four teenage boys, she knew they needed a mother and began to educate herself about her disease and what was ahead of her.

Nichol explains she made hemodialysis fit into her life three times a week, and for fourteen years this was the routine. She likens it to a part time job. Along with hemodialysis and strict diet changes that involved removing salt and dairy from meals and rigid fluid requirements (4 cups a day), her life and the life of her family changed.

Barb Nichol

However, with these changes Nichol remained relatively healthy and was able to serve as a Municipal Councillor while maintaining a part time job.

One Mother's Day, Nichol's four boys asked her why she hadn't put herself on the transplant list to receive a new kidney. She knew the hospital stay might be lengthy taking her away from her boys, and although the hemodialysis was inconvenient, it was working and Barb thought, "if it ain’t broken, don't fix it."

Her boys told her that she deserved more.  

Nichol remained on the transplant list for two years. One Sunday evening she received the phone call, Nichol had a 50% chance they had a kidney for her. That Tuesday, Barb received her new kidney and, because of improvements made to the medication and treatment, was only in the hospital for two and a half weeks.

Life has changed drastically for Nichol with her new kidney. She no longer goes to the hospital three times a week and she and her husband can go visit their grandchildren in another province anytime they want, for as long as they want.  

Nichol says she has appreciated the care and concern from others in her community of Darlingford. Offers for rides to dialysis in storms, meals brought to the family and the phone calls or visits to check-in have been a great source of support during her journey with kidney disease.