Ironman inspires dialysis patients

Ironman inspires dialysis patients
March 12, 2011 7:36 PM
MATTHEW ADKINS
Special to the Sun Journal
On Friday, Fresenius Medical Care in New Bern held an open house for patients with chronic kidney disease. Light refreshments were served while nurses and staff held an education session concerning their Treatment Options Program (TOPs). Also in attendance was Shad Ireland, an Ironman triathlete and dialysis patient for over 28 years.

Ireland was there to discuss his experiences with kidney failure and to give fellow patients a bit of inspiration. “Kidney disease is tough,” he said, “but I prefer to think of it as a call to action.”

According to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, an estimated 23 million American adults have chronic kidney disease. Individuals with chronic kidney disease are 16 to 40 times more likely to die than to progress to kidney failure. Also, high cardiovascular death rates in dialysis patients are also a serious problem. North Carolina in particular does not have a very good record and is one of the top 10 most afflicted states.

Although improved treatment and earlier detection have helped stabilize these numbers, for those already with the disease life can still be hard. That is why Ireland is trying to spread as much hope as possible.

“To live with a chronic illness is not a limitation,” said Ireland, “but rather an invitation for those willing to accept the challenge.”

“I was 90 pounds and had no hope or direction,” he continued. “I was sitting on my couch when I saw this crazy thing on television called Ironman. These athletes were giving absolutely everything they had to crawl across the finish line. I had to know what drove them to push so hard. Right then, I made up my mind to compete.”

In a year, he pushed himself as much as he could. He quickly put on 45 pounds of muscle, held 6% body fat and was in terrific shape.

“Doctors were calling me, telling me I couldn’t do it, that I would die. I knew in my mind, though, that I could.”

Ireland went on to compete in Lake Placid on July 25, 2004. When other patients heard about his finish, they were excited.

“If I could do this, then they could do anything,” Ireland said. “It’s then that I realized I could really make a difference by inspiring people.”

He would go on to do 20 more triathlons after that and doesn’t seem to be slowing down. “It’s difficult, but I’m very passionate. I travel around and do these things to try and engage the community at a local level.”

Ireland attributes a large portion of his success to Fresenius Medical Care and is always quick to shift the focus from his achievements to their treatment and education programs. He urges people to visit ultracare-dialysis.com. The website is maintained by Fresenius and is a complete resource for treatment options and lifestyle advice specifically for those living with chronic kidney disease.

“At the end of the day, it’s about impact and giving people solutions,” said Ireland.

http://www.enctoday.com/news/patients-95655-nbsj-ironman-held.html