Three days a week, Paul Kennedy spends five hours in a dialysis chair at West Gippsland Hospital. On the other four, he swims.
Since early October, Paul has been clocking laps at Warragul Leisure Centre, aiming to swim 50 kilometres to raise $50,000 for the hospital’s haemodialysis unit.
A lifelong swimmer and former triathlete, Paul was diagnosed with kidney failure earlier this year. He began treatment in January and says the routine of dialysis can be tough, but the staff and patients at the unit keep his spirits high.
The nurses are fantastic. They make the hours pass by, and we all support each other. Just the thought of making people's lives better keeps me going. So the guys that go to dialysis, they're a bit more comfortable, and these are where the funds are going to go to.
October is Kidney Awareness Month, and while others join the annual “Red Socks Run”, Paul decided to do things differently, swapping running shoes for goggles and a bright pair of red socks in the pool.
He began with a goal of 24 kilometres but soon realised he could do more. “I started training at the end of August and built up from one kilometre a session to three,” he says. “Once I get past 20 laps, it gets easier. By 50, the pain goes away.”
Funds raised will go directly toward improving comfort for dialysis patients in Warragul including new equipment, better chairs, and small upgrades that make long hours of treatment more bearable.
“It’s an endurance effort, but it’s worth every lap knowing it might help someone else,” Paul says.
Warragul Leisure Centre Manger Daniel Chu said, “It’s been incredible to see the way Paul has channelled his personal challenge into something that lifts others, our members and staff have really rallied around him.”
A collection box has been set up at Warragul Leisure Centre for anyone wanting to contribute in person.
“Community support makes a real difference,” Paul says. “This is for the people sitting next to me, doing their best every week.”
If you’d like to support Paul, click here to donate.
