Peggy Revell
There was triumph and tears as participants reached the end point of the 20-mile “Walk for Dialysis” here Friday afternoon—the first time the fundraiser has gone without its founder, the late Tom Bruyere.
Walking in Bruyere’s honour, roughly 60 participants raised more than $21,000 for the renal dialysis program at La Verendrye Hospital.
“It’s wonderful now that they’re doing it today in honour of Tom, it’s a great thing,” said Deane Cunningham, chairman of the Riverside Foundation for Health Care.
“It’s a great day, it’s a great cause, and we’re remembering Tom. So it’s just a wonderful day,” he enthused.
Cunningham noted the walk was started years ago by Bruyere as a means to raise money for dialysis in the district, and over the years generated more than $100,000.
“Unfortunately, Tom passed away earlier this year and we were really saddened by his death because he’s contributed so much to this dialysis program,” Cunningham said.
“I think because of the walk and because of the publicity that it’s given to dialysis, now we actually have a dialysis unit at the local hospital, which we never had before,” he remarked.
“People used to have to drive to Thunder Bay to have dialysis done and some of them actually had to move to Thunder Bay to be where that service was.
“But now with having dialysis locally at the hospital, it’s made a big change for people in the area who have diabetes,” Cunningham added.
Cheers erupted from the crowd as Bruyere’s widow, Anne, walked across the finish line at North American Lumber.
“He was a good guy, you know, he raised a lot of money, he knew everybody. I’m just happy that everybody’s here, thinking about him today,” she said, noting Friday also would have been Bruyere’s 64th birthday.
She gave a big thank-you for everyone who participated, and for making it a “great day.”
The first one to “cross the finish line” was first-time participant Missy Nelson, who ran for sections of the 20-mile course along the River Road (Highway 602).
“I think it’s a great cause to come out and support,” said Nelson, who has run marathons before, adding she has a family member on dialysis.
“The last five miles were a little harder, but it was good,” she continued. “When I thought that I was not able to make it, I thought about how those people feel who have to go on dialysis every other day, so that’s what kept me going.”
“It’s a very important cause,” said both Elaine Oster and Kathy Lampi, who also were among the first to reach the end of the walk.
The great thing about the walk is that the money raised stays local, Oster noted.
“All these people that feed us and water us all along the way deserve a big thank-you,” added Lampi.
It’s a sentiment echoed by first-time participant Alex Cochrane of Mitaanjigamiing First Nation (formerly Stanjikoming), who said he’ll be walking again next year if the fundraiser continues—and encouraged others to do the same.
“I’ve actually been wanting to do it for a couple of years but I’ve been busy,” Cochrane noted. “And last year they didn’t have it, so this year I wanted to make sure I was in it.”
Cochrane said he did the walk in memory of his brother, Alfred Henderson, who passed away a couple of years ago, and also on behalf of his sister, Alana Fyfe, who’s also a patient of the dialysis unit here in town.
“[It’s important] because it affects so many people in our area,” he noted.
“People who are able to do this should come out,” he added. “I encourage them to come out and do it.”
