Thousands To Join NKF Cocoa Beach ‘Kidney Walk’

HEALTH AWARENESS

(VIDEO: BillHahnII)

EDITOR’S NOTE: Thanks to the special Citizen Journalism feature that allows our readers to contribute their own news, Space Coast Daily.com is proud to announce the NKF Cocoa Beach Kidney Walk next month in aid of the National Kidney Foundation.

BREVARD COUNTY • COCOA BEACH, FLORIDA – It’s hoped that news of the Cocoa Beach Footprints in the Sand Kidney Beach Walk fund-raising event will now spread throughout the county and that thousands of people will gather at the Cocoa Beach Pier to walk the sands starting at sunrise on Saturday, May 12.

This fun event is being organised by former local professional surfer Billy Hahn, whose own life was saved by a kidney transplant. He now wants to give other kidney sufferers fresh hope of a better life free of dialysis.

Billy said he was attracted by Space Coast Daily.com’s offer of free news dissemination under our Citizen Journalism banner – and submitted his news straight away about the walk in aid of the National Kidney Foundation.

Space Coast Daily.com allows anyone to contribute their own personal story, news or comment via our Citizen Journalism.  You can find it on the Homepage.

“It’s a really great feature of The Daily,” says Billy.

“I’d recommend the Citizen Journalism feature to anyone who has a story to tell.”

The fund-raising event – starting at sun-rise on May 12 – is being called the NKF 5k Footprints in the Sand Kidney Walk.

It embraces a wonderful story of survival for Billy Hahn, who now wants to provide hope for the 113,000 people in the US waiting for kidney transplants.

Sudden Life-Threatening Illness

Billy Hahn is a former professional surfer who surfed for Rich and Phil Salick on one of the original Salick Surf Teams back in the 80’s.

That’s when the Salick brothers became his mentors and taught him the ways of the waves.   Then suddenly, at the age of 26, Billy was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes and his life changed drastically.  He suffered blindness, coma and seizures.

Life-Saving Transplant

Then, in March 2008, his kidneys failed and he went on to dialysis to stay alive. But thanks to a kidney donor, he received the gift of a new life on New Year’s Eve, 2008.   No more diabetes. No more insulin pump. No more dialysis. In his words, what Billy received was “freedom.”

Freedom of a New Life

Billy has now rejoined his surfing mentors Rich and Phil Salick. Not in the water – but in their mission to help save the lives of more than 113,000 people in the US waiting for kidney transplants. What Billy calls “The Gift of Life.”

So now – in the footprints of the hugley successful annual Labor Day Surf Festival on Cocoa Beach that raises money for the NKF – has been born this new Spring event, the NKF 5k Footprints in the Sand Kidney Beach Walk on Saturday May 12, 2012.

Walk the Walk  

“The people of Cocoa Beach have always been there for the NKF,” says Billy Hahn.

“Starting way back in 1985 when the Salick brothers founded the NKF Labor Day Surf Festival. Surfers and Saints Saving Lives … for 27 years.

“Walk the Walk.  Make Your Mark.  Save a Life!  Please register today for the Footprints in the sand Kidney Beach Walk,” urges Billy.

For more information log on to CocoaBeachKidneyWalk.org, or any Walgreens location.

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