Rob and Karen Waddell chair annual Kidney Walk, sponsored by Brown-Forman
Louisville | Jennifer Bowen
The Brown-Forman Kidney Walk takes place at Waterfront Park this Saturday, September 30, but for Rob and Karen Waddell and their four kids, Saturday’s event means more than a walk in the park.
At the age of 11, Rob Waddell and his siblings were tested for kidney disease due to their mother’s battle with the disease and the resulting renal dialysis and two kidney transplants. Rob’s test results were positive, but due to the slow progression of kidney disease he was granted a healthy youth. Rob remembers testing his blood pressure in a Biology class during college to learn that it was 165/100. Years later, in his mid-twenties, he attended a corporate health fair and once again tested positive for high blood pressure. Rob decided to retest for kidney disease, only to reaffirm the grim results.
Over a decade later, Rob went into renal failure at the age of 38, while Karen was pregnant. Karen shared the news with their neighbor, Kim Hayden, who later shared the story with her husband, Hugh. Four years later, Rob began to prep for dialysis. Rob’s niece was willing to donate her kidney, but when the call was made to add her name to Rob’s donor list, someone else was already in line. Rob knew it was Hugh who had volunteered, and who would ultimately donate the gift of life. 
At the age of 11, Rob Waddell and his siblings were tested for kidney disease due to their mother’s battle with the disease and the resulting renal dialysis and two kidney transplants. Rob’s test results were positive, but due to the slow progression of kidney disease he was granted a healthy youth. Rob remembers testing his blood pressure in a Biology class during college to learn that it was 165/100. Years later, in his mid-twenties, he attended a corporate health fair and once again tested positive for high blood pressure. Rob decided to retest for kidney disease, only to reaffirm the grim results.
Over a decade later, Rob went into renal failure at the age of 38, while Karen was pregnant. Karen shared the news with their neighbor, Kim Hayden, who later shared the story with her husband, Hugh. Four years later, Rob began to prep for dialysis. Rob’s niece was willing to donate her kidney, but when the call was made to add her name to Rob’s donor list, someone else was already in line. Rob knew it was Hugh who had volunteered, and who would ultimately donate the gift of life.
Registration for the Brown- Forman Kidney Walk is still available. Check-in begins at Waterfront Park at 1:00 p.m. and the walk will start at 2:00 p.m.
For more information on the Louisville Kidney Walk, visit thewww.kidneywalk.org.
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