Michel Babin was on dialysis for two years before he had a kidney transplant that improved his life dramatically.
That was more than 10 years ago.
Sunday morning he joined a small dedicated group for the Sudbury Kidney Walk to support the Kidney Foundation of Canada.
Thanks to his donated kidney he was able to walk around the Delki Dozzi Track in Sudbury's Gatchell neighbourhood several times.
Lisa Zeman did the walk with many of her family members to support her father, Joe Ferrari.
Ferrari has been on dialysis for around five years, she said.
“He's doing awesome, but we would like to find him a cure,” Zeman said.
Her father is 80 years old, and has deferred getting a kidney transplant because he would prefer a younger person benefit from a donation.
While he has slowed down in recent years, he has long been a dedicated volunteer in Timmins, where he retired from a career as a school principal.
By Sunday morning, walk participants raised more than $3,965 for the Kidney Foundation of Canada, which uses the funds to improve the lives of all people affected by kidney disease through research, government advocacy, peer support, education and various programs.
Organizers said they expected the funds raised to increase throughout the day.
**Correction** A previous version of this article said the walk raised more than $13,000, but the actual amount raised was $3,965.
