Foundation event helps raise awarenessBy Melody Brumble • mbrumble@gannett.com • June 26, 2010
James Miller wouldn't wish dialysis on his worst enemy.
Miller, 43, of Shreveport, spoke during Mary-Thon, a fundraising walk for the Mary E. Swift Kindey Resource Center of Northwest Louisiana. Pro basketball player Stromile Swift and his sister, Shalanda Swift-Watkins, created the center and the Swift Foundation in memory of their mother Mary Swift, who died of kidney disease in 2009.
Untreated high blood pressure caused Miller's kidneys to start failing when he was in his late 20s and early 30s. By age 33, he had only 40 percent kidney function — then they failed completely, and he started dialysis. He's had the lines in his neck, arms and now his chest.
"Do the right thing, because this ain't no fun for nobody," Miller said.
About 40 people gathered at Southern Hills Park in Shreveport for the second Mary-thon Friday, which would have been Mary Swift's 58th birthday. They released purple balloons, one for every year of her life, into the sky before taking to the walking track at the park.
Volunteer Brandi Geiggar said it's important to get the word out about preventing kidney disease, especially among blacks. More than half of all people on dialysis are black.
"I exercise five days a week," Geiggar said. "I watch what I eat and drink. What you can can be so important. Seeing a doctor on a regular basis is very important, too."
Swift said he, his sister and the foundation board don't have a specific fundraising goal.
"We're just trying to get people to come out to raise awareness," Swift said. "We give out information and pamphlets at a lot of places. When my mom was going through it, we didn't really know about it. Now we do."
http://www.shreveporttimes.com/article/20100626/NEWS01/6260334/1060/NEWS01
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