The Brampton Kidney Walk has blown past its $35,000 fundraising goal, with organizers reporting a preliminary total of $50,506.01 — more than $15,000 over target.
Alisa Cheddi, who coordinates the walk, said the tally is a running figure as of October 5, with donations still being accepted until December 31, according to Bramptonist.
The walk took place September 27 at Chinguacousy Park. Cheddi estimated roughly 1,000 people attended, spread across 23 registered teams — the largest team registration since she became involved with the event, though not a verified all-time record.
A personal connection
For Cheddi, the annual fundraiser is about more than numbers. Her father went through kidney failure and dialysis, an experience she said shaped her entire family's life.
"For me, the Brampton Kidney Walk is deeply personal," Cheddi wrote in a response to Bramptonist.
"My Dad experienced kidney failure and dialysis. I have seen firsthand how much it changes a person's life — physically, emotionally and for the entire family."
She described the fundraising total as a collective effort by the Brampton community rather than the work of any one group.
Team Peter leads the way
Team Peter was the top fundraising team, contributing roughly $10,000, Cheddi said. Both that figure and the overall total reflect her October 5 update rather than final audited results, and the final number could still shift with the donation window open for nearly three more months.
The Kidney Foundation runs Kidney Walks across the country to support people living with kidney disease, and maintains an official walk page with details on its fundraising events.
With more than 1,000 people turning out at Chinguacousy Park on a late-September morning, the walk stands as one of the more visible community health fundraisers on Brampton's fall calendar.
Readers who want to add to the total still have time: donations are being accepted through the end of the year.
