Nikki Broadbent

60 Hours, 60 Kilometres: A Walk for Those Living With Kidney Disease

There are some things in life you don’t truly understand until you’re given a reason to look a little closer.

Kidney disease is one of those things for me.

This October, I’ll be taking part in the Red Socks Challenge, walking 60 kilometres throughout the month to raise awareness of kidney disease, dialysis and the enormous impact they can have on individuals and families.

The number 60 has a very special meaning behind this challenge.

People on dialysis can spend around 60 hours every month connected to a dialysis machine.

Sixty hours.

It’s difficult to comprehend until you stop and think about what 60 hours actually represents.

It’s time that could otherwise be spent with your children. Your partner. Your family. At work. Sleeping. Going on holidays. Watching sport. Having dinner together. Simply living an ordinary life.

Dialysis can be life-saving, but it can also become a huge part of someone’s existence.

Over recent months, I’ve gained a much deeper understanding of kidney disease and the reality that comes with it. And while I’m choosing to keep the personal circumstances behind my involvement private, I can say that this cause has become incredibly close to my heart.

It has changed the way I look at something I previously knew very little about.

Kidney disease isn’t always visible.

You can’t necessarily look at someone and know what their kidneys are going through, how much their treatment affects them, or how much their family is carrying alongside them.

And when you have a young family, the impact can feel even bigger.

Illness doesn’t simply affect one person. It can ripple through an entire family — changing routines, plans, responsibilities and the little everyday things that we often take for granted.

It has made me realise how important awareness is.

How important it is that people understand kidney disease before it touches their own lives.

And how important it is that people living with kidney disease have access to the care, support, research and resources they need.

So, this October, I’m walking.

60 kilometres for 60 hours.

I’ll be walking to honour the hours that so many people spend connected to dialysis.

I’ll be walking to raise awareness of kidney disease.

I’ll be walking for the families who quietly navigate the challenges that come with it.

And I’ll be walking because I believe that sometimes the smallest thing we can do — learning, talking, sharing, walking, donating — can help make someone else’s journey a little easier.

If you’re able to support my challenge with a donation, I would be incredibly grateful. Your contribution will help support work towards better care and a better future for Australians living with kidney disease.

And if donating isn’t possible, that’s okay too.

Share this post.

Talk about kidney disease.

Learn a little more about what dialysis involves.

Because awareness matters.

60 kilometres. 31 days. 60 hours of dialysis. One cause that now means more to me than I could ever have imagined.

Thank you for being part of my journey this October. ❤️

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