Interim dean joins in walk for treatment and cure of polycystic kidney disease

Ronald Rodriguez, M.D., Ph.D., interim dean of the Joe R. and Teresa Lozano Long School of Medicine at UT Health San Antonio, speaks at McCollum High School on Doctors' Day.

Ronald Rodriguez, M.D., Ph.D., lives with polycystic kidney disease (PKD), one of the most common, life-threatening genetic kidney diseases and affects thousands in the U.S. and millions worldwide.

Dr. Rodriguez, interim dean of the Joe R. & Teresa Lozano Long School of Medicine, will join people nationwide to walk in support of those affected by PKD on Saturday, Sept. 9. The 2017 San Antonio Walk for PKD will be at OP Schnabel Park, Graff Pavilion.

Registration is at 7:30 a.m. Activities for children will take place at 8:15 a.m. The start line ceremony with honorary emcees will begin at 8:45 a.m. and the walk will begin at 9:15 a.m.

“The walk has been important to me, as it represents the consolidation of the PKD community into a central fellowship of people who share a common goal and understand the hardships faced by all who have this condition,” Dr. Rodriguez said. “The development of kidney failure, progression to dialysis and hope of a transplant are central issues with all PKD patients. Even more importantly, the walk is a visible demonstration that people with PKD thrive despite this condition.”

The funds raised by the walk will be used to heighten awareness and stimulate further research, he added.

“With continued support and ongoing scientific investigation, there is a realistic hope that someday we will be able to prevent progressive renal failure in patients affected with PKD,” Dr. Rodriguez said.

The annual Walk for PKD is the signature fundraising and public awareness event for the PKD Foundation and is the largest gathering of PKD patients, family, friends and supporters, which number more than 11,000. The walk is hosted in more than 50 cities nationwide. Since 2000, it has raised nearly $24 million for PKD researchers to help bring treatments to patients.

Dr. Rodriguez’s team is the UT Health Physicians Mito Power Team. To register for the San Antonio Walk for PKD, go to walkforpkd.org/sanantonio.

 



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