Terri Francis

My Activity Tracking

200
kms

My target 200 kms

My Red Socks Challenge for Kidney Health

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

This October, I have committed to the Red Socks Challenge, to stand with Australians living with kidney disease.

I will be taking on 200km in October to honour the hours spent on dialysis - raising awareness and helping fund better care.

Please donate to support a better future for people with kidney disease.

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My Achievements

Made a self donation

First donation received

Halfway to fundraising target

Hit fundraising target

Shared on social media

Created a team

Half way to KMs

Reached KMs Goal

Logged first fitness activity

Created a Blog Post

Fundraising Milestone Reward #1

Fundraising Milestone Reward #2

Fundraising Milestone Reward #3

Fundraising Milestone Reward #4

Fundraising Milestone Reward #5

My Updates

200 Kilometres and More Support Than I Ever Imagined

Saturday 31st Oct

31 days and 200km walked.

Many 4am wakeups, hitting the road as the sun rises, and 6pm wanders through Rockingham as the sun sets. Lunch breaks spent walking around the block or to the library to squeeze in an extra kilometre or two.

Far too many hours spent thinking, “I really need to learn how to run so I can smash out these kilometres in half the time.” Knees, I apologise in advance for the lead-up to October 2027!

Guerilla Cricket, Stereophonics, James, Cate Le Bon and an audiobook read by Finty Williams kept me company along the way. What started as a 155km goal kept growing as I challenged myself more and more.

When I started, I honestly didn’t think I could raise even $150, let alone finish the month with over $1,800. Your generosity has blown me away.

I can’t thank you all enough for the support you’ve given me, not just over the past month, but since I started the journey to becoming a living donor for my mum back in March 2024.

It’s not just about the donations. It’s the kind words, the hugs, the late-night chats, the encouragement to push myself and start doing what I love again, and the cheering from the sidelines.

This journey has also made me realise that many people don’t fully understand the impact being a living donor has on the person donating. Yes, I’ve given someone more life, but that decision also meant accepting risks to my own health, alongside the impact on my everyday life. There’s something confronting about knowing I could one day need the very treatment I donated an organ to help Mum move away from.

While I can, I want to do as much as possible to make the experience better for those who rely on dialysis every day to stay alive, and help fund research for those who may need it in the future.

Thank you for being part of this with me.

Giving the Gift of Life, and Finding My Own Along the Way

Monday 12th Oct

On 1 July 2025, I became a living kidney donor.

It's a date that will always mean something incredibly special to me, but my journey to becoming a donor was never just about the surgery itself. It was about family, love, and giving someone a chance at a better life. As it turns out, it was also about discovering a whole new side of myself along the way.

When I first found out that living kidney donation was an option, I didn't need time to think about it.

I put my hand up straight away.

My reason was simple. I wanted to give both my parents the opportunity to enjoy their retirement together.

If donating one of my kidneys could help make that happen, then I was absolutely going to do it.

That doesn't mean I underestimated what was involved. Living donation is major surgery, and the road to getting there included tests, appointments, assessments and plenty of waiting.

It was a big commitment, both physically and emotionally, but my decision never changed. I had two kidneys. I only needed one. If one of mine could make that kind of difference, why wouldn't I?

What I didn't anticipate was how much the experience would change me.

I went into the process wanting to improve someone else's quality of life. What I didn't realise was that it would inspire me to start making more of my own.

Somewhere along the way, my perspective shifted.

I started thinking about the things I'd always wanted to do but had never quite found the courage, motivation or opportunity to pursue.

Sometimes it takes a significant moment in life to remind you how important it is to stop waiting and start doing.

I realised I didn't want to spend my life simply going through the motions. I wanted to challenge myself, make memories and spend more time doing the things that genuinely make me happy.

Perhaps most importantly, I realised it's okay to put myself first sometimes.

One of the biggest changes has been returning to football after a 20-year hiatus.

There was a time when I probably would have laughed at the idea of pulling on a pair of football boots and getting back out on the pitch. But I did it.

And I absolutely love it.

It's not just about the football itself. It's the friendships, the laughs, the sense of belonging and the challenge of pushing myself again. More than anything, it's reminded me that it's never too late to rediscover something you love.

I'm certainly not the same person I was 20 years ago, and my body likes to remind me of that occasionally. There are a few more aches and pains these days, and recovery isn't quite what it used to be.

But I'm out there, giving it a go, and that's what matters.

Since becoming a donor, I've found myself saying yes to more things.

I'm more willing to step outside my comfort zone, try something different and stop worrying quite so much about what other people might think.

I've learnt that happiness doesn't have to come from huge life-changing moments.

Sometimes it's a football match on a Sunday, a laugh with friends, a concert, a new challenge or simply making time for something I enjoy.

That doesn't mean every day is wonderful or that I've suddenly got everything figured out. Far from it.

There are still difficult days and moments when life doesn't quite go to plan.

But I feel more confident, more independent and more determined to make the most of the opportunities in front of me.

People often talk about living kidney donation as giving someone the gift of life.

And it absolutely is.

I made the decision because I wanted my parents to have the chance to enjoy their retirement together. That was always the reason, and it remains one of the things I'm most proud of.

I didn't do it to be brave. I didn't do it to be thanked, and I certainly didn't do it expecting anything in return.

It was simply something I knew I wanted to do.

What I never expected was how much it would teach me about myself.

It taught me about courage, perspective and the importance of not putting things off forever. Because one day has a habit of turning into another year, and then another. And before you know it, 20 years have passed since you last kicked a football.

Looking back, I'm grateful not only for the opportunity to help someone I love, but for the unexpected changes it sparked in me.

I'm proud of the decision I made, proud of what I've been through and proud of the person I'm continuing to become.

I've discovered that I'm capable of more than I sometimes give myself credit for, that starting again is always an option and that it's never too late to rediscover something you love. Most importantly, I've learnt that there's nothing wrong with building a life that makes you happy.

I set out to give both my parents the chance to enjoy their lives together, and somewhere along the way, I found the confidence to really start enjoying my own.

And if there's one thing this whole journey has taught me, it's that life is far too precious to spend it sitting on the sidelines. Sometimes you've just got to pull your boots on, get out there and give it a go.

And that's exactly what I intend to keep doing.

'Little by little does the trick' Aesop

Thursday 1st Oct

And so it begins...

I had all the best intentions of getting up, getting to gym and doing my daily 5km at 5am this morning... I managed a 1km 🤣 but as Aesop alluded to, it all adds up!

Massive thank you to everyone who has donated - my initial target of $500 has been reached and absolutely blown out of the water! You guys are all so amazing and I hope to repay the faith you have in me over the month💗

The red socks are back!

Tuesday 29th Sep

Last year, just a few months after donating my kidney, I took part in the Red Socks Challenge for the first time. I was still getting used to life with one kidney, so every walk felt like a small reminder of what my body had been through—and how lucky I was to be able to help someone else.

Donating Kenny is one of the biggest things I’ve ever done. It made kidney health personal for me, and it gave me an even deeper appreciation for people living with kidney disease and the families supporting them.

So, starting 1 October, I’m pulling on my red socks again. This year I’m aiming to walk 155 km throughout October to raise funds for Kidney Health Australia. Dolly, my remaining kidney, will be along for every step. I suspect my legs will have more to say about the distance than she will! 😂

If you’re able to make a donation, thank you. Every contribution means a lot to me. And if you can’t donate, sharing my page or cheering me on as I work through those kilometres would be wonderful too.

Here’s to another October in red socks.

Thank you to my Sponsors

$300.41

Jessica Dollery

$106.75

Barclay Fairweather

The gift of life and getting the boots back on ❤️. Although I’m sure it was a DOGSO. 😉

$103.65

Elliot Rice

Helping you get there Tel

$100

Anonymous

$75.68

Chris Edwards

Cara Jones

Your inspire me so very much. Such a beautiful soul.

$34.40

Keep walking Terri, you're doing a great job!!

$20

Kerry Thompson

Well done Terri! A worthy cause!

$10

Terri Francis

My Activity Tracking

My target 200 kms

My Red Socks Challenge for Kidney Health

Please Help MeReach My Goal

Raised

$1,961

My Goal

$1,000

Select amount to donate

My Achievements

My Updates

200 Kilometres and More Support Than I Ever Imagined

Giving the Gift of Life, and Finding My Own Along the Way

'Little by little does the trick' Aesop

The red socks are back!

Thank you to my Sponsors

Jessica Dollery

Barclay Fairweather

Elliot Rice

Anonymous

Chris Edwards

Michael And Sarah O’donnell

Sally H

Michael Jones

Nick Walton

Paula Mclellan

Carol Negro

Dennis Jardine

Sandyb

Paul Attwell

Amy Palermo

Cara

Theresa

Jen Trigg

Emily Collett

Cara Jones

Erin E

Vicky Jacobs

Terri Francis

Matt Collett

Jeremy Taylor

Cara

Carla Edgecombe

Rob & Sara

Deidre Grey

Nathan And Dani

Bronwyn Felton

Debbie Sergeson

Lisa Drysdale

Simon Wilson

Danielle Henderson

Lucie

Francesca Owen

Lesley Francis

Amy Green

Elaine Paull

Kerry Thompson

Anonymous

Please Help Me
Reach My Goal