The students of Horse Lake Elementary School came together to support their schoolmate Walker Williams.
On Thursday, May 22, Horse Lake's Grade 7 class organized the Walk for Walker for their classmate Walker, a Grade 7 student who was born with only one kidney and is currently dealing with kidney failure. The entire school raised money for Walker and took part in several different fitness activities, including jumping rope, tug of war, hula hooping and more, to raise awareness. It's an effort that visibly moved Megan Williams, Walker's mother, who attended with Walker in between bouts of dialysis.
"I'm very, very proud of everything this school has done for Walker and continues to do," Williams said. "It's overwhelming in a really good way. He's a very private child and doesn't like to share anything, so that he's involved and can see all the support himself is amazing really."
Walker was in charge of music during the event, picking songs and helping his teacher, Lisa Pugh, ensure each class had equal time at different stations. True to nature, Walker was quiet and soft-spoken as he explained his situation.
"I have one kidney, actually, I have kidney disease and that's why I need a kidney transplant, because my kidney is starting to fail a little bit," Walker said.
Getting a chance to return to school and see everyone was great, Walker said, noting he felt the event organized by his classmates went well. He said he enjoyed being back at school and seeing his friends.
Pugh noted in addition to raising around $2,000, she and her class wanted to raise awareness about Walker's need for a new kidney. To that end, the tagline of the event was 'be positive,' which is both a Williams family motto and his blood type. Pugh, the staff and several students dressed up as bees during the day to embody the theme, while others used paint to add B+ to their clothes.
"The school really embraced this project. We had a couple of parents donate 250 cupcakes and we sold tons of bee-themed cupcakes that all went towards the family," Pugh remarked. "I think Walker today, he's a pretty proud guy. The school fully supports him and you can tell he can feel that support from his school."
Williams said Walker has been on dialysis now for the last two-and-a-half weeks to support his failing kidney. She noted he both feels and looks a lot better since they began, and his blood work confirms he's responding well, which gives them more time to find a donor.
Thanks in part to the awareness raised by the school through the event and posters students have put up around town, Williams said four individuals have stepped forward so far to potentially donate one of their kidneys.
"They're doing the work up, which, as far as I know, can take up to six months to a year. They've done about a month's worth of workup," Williams said. "It is positive, but it is nerve-wrecking because that is another step we'll have to do and another worry. It's a big surgery."
To donate a kidney, Williams said the donor must be between the ages of 17 and 45 and in good health. They must also match his B+ blood type, which means he can accept donations from all people with B and O blood types. Williams noted she unfortunately is not a match for her son, as she is type AB+.
"It doesn't seem enough, but thank you from our whole hearts," William said. "They really are potentially going to save our son's life and that means everything to me."
As for Walker, he said he is looking forward to receiving a new kidney so he can go back to living his normal life. He did add, however, that he's a little apprehensive about the surgery.
Williams noted she'd like to thank all the staff and students and Horse Lake Elementary School once again for everything they've done.
"I don't think they fully understand what they're potentially doing. They're literally going to save somebody's life and I don't know if they know that and how much they mean to me," Williams said. "I keep saying thank you, and I don't know what else to say."
Pugh said all funds raised from the event will go towards Walker's family to pay for the cost of travelling to Vancouver during his treatment. Both Pugh and her class were very pleased with how things went.
"We're all going to be positive and hope there's someone out there willing to donate their kidney to Walker and that his health improves," Pugh said. "That's the final goal of all this, that Walker continues to live a healthy, normal life."
