Save the date: Take a Ride for MacKids is on June 16th!

We’re now less than a month away from the highly anticipated Take Ride for MacKids event, hosted by Reid’s Heritage Homes in support of McMaster Children’s Hospital and the Caring for Little Kidneys campaign.

Tim and Charlotte Blevins of Reid’s Heritage Homes started the Caring for Little Kidneys campaign after their daughter, Kayla, was saved by dialysis and the team at McMaster Children’s Hospital.

During their experience, they realized the Nephrology clinic was not suitable for being the only pediatric option available in the region. The space was not family-friendly, the equipment was not up to date, and not enough patients could be accomodated.

Olivia’s story is a perfect example of why the Nephrology clinic requires more substantial funding. Olivia was born in 2014 and diagnosed with autosomal recessive polycystic kidney disease, which causes fluid-filled sacs to develop, leading to enlarged kidneys, scarring, and ultimately, kidney failure.

Olivia’s parents, Nicole and Isaac, were told that 30% of newborns with this diagnosis survive their first week and only 50% live to their first birthday. They visit McMaster Children’s Hospital once a month now for Olivia’s blood work. She’s stable at the moment and they’re waiting until she reaches the appropriate weight and length for a kidney transplant.

“The care we received from the nephrology team was amazing,” says Isaac. “We always had many questions for the team, and they were always so calm and kind. They were great at putting things into terms that we could understand because we had no medical background.”  

The new 2G Clinic gives the professionals at McMaster Children’s Hospital the tools and resources they need to offer high quality Pediatric Nephrology services, including consultations, dialysis, and therapeutic plans and programming to support children and their families.  

The Take a Ride for MacKids event was a large contributor to the funding needed to build the new clinic. Over the last two years, more than 2,000 people attended the Take a Ride for MacKids event, significantly contributing to the $700,000 raised by the Caring for Little Kidneys campaign.

Reid’s Heritage Homes will continue running the event on an annual basis in order to fund the Caring for Little Kidneys campaign and support the clinic’s staff, programming, and future equipment investment.

This year, admission is free! There are 50 acres of family fun, including carnival rides, bouncy castles, food trucks, artists, and construction equipment for playing and operating! There will also be helicopter rides for $100 a person!

Attend Take a Ride for MacKids on June 16th

Take a Ride for MacKids is taking place on June 16th from 11 am to 4 pm at 6783 Wellington Road 34 in Cambridge (Reid’s Heritage Homes’ head office). The event is rain or shine, so bring an umbrella if you have to!

If you can’t make it out for the event, but still want to donate, you can do so here!