Special to the Oriole Post – By Greg Wiley
Hall of Fame pitcher Jim Palmer saluted 10 year-old Lindsey Duquette and others suffering from the kidney disease FSGS and Nephrotic Syndrome while receiving The NephCure Foundation 2012 Public Service Award Sunday, June 24 at Countdown To A Cure – Baltimore at the Kettle Hill Restaurant.
The charity affair, attended by over 100 people, was the culmination of a series of events encompassing “NephCure Day” in the City of Baltimore, helping raise over $30,000 for The NephCure Foundation, which fights the kidney disease FSGS and Nephrotic Syndrome by funding research and providing education to families dealing with these diseases.
The activities launched with a walk headquartered at Sliders Bar and Grill. NephCure walkers then walked around Camden Yards to generate awareness and attended the Orioles game against the Washington Nationals before converging at the Kettle Hill Restaurant for the dinner, which featured a host of former Orioles players, including Palmer, Rick Dempsey, Ron Hansen, Dave Johnson and others. The dinner was hosted by Orioles TV broadcaster Tom Davis
The dinner was co-chaired by former Orioles general manager Jim Duquette, whose daughter, Lindsey, has been suffering from the kidney disease FSGS since she was two, and Warren Sollod. Jim Duquette donated his kidney to Lindsey on June 4. Lindsey had been living without kidney function for the last year while awaiting the procedure.
Jim expressed his appreciation to all the players for appearing at the event. Lindsey couldn’t make it because she has to stay out of public places for at least three months while she recovers.
“NephCure gives patients and families suffering from these diseases a support system and the opportunity to make a difference through raising money to fund critical research,” said Duquette. “NephCure has been a great resource for our family as we deal with the endless questions that come with this incurable disease. The NephCure Walk and Countdown to a Cure are examples of how great things can be accomplished when people come together.”
The program also included NephCure Foundation Executive Director Henry Brehm, who talked about the organization’s mission and importance of extending its efforts to a major market like Baltimore. Along with pediatric kidney disease patient Macy Helm and her mom, Kelly, Brehm present Jim with a shirt for Lindsey that had the names of over 200 people on it wishing her a speedy recovery.
