Brian O'Dea has been running seriously for about six years, usually solo. But this year he's joining Team Kidney, and racing for better health.
Whether it’s for his health or for the fun of it, Brian O’Dea, CFO and COO of Nephrology Associates of Northern Illinois and Indiana, has been running seriously for about six years. This month, he will participate in the Chicago Marathon this year as a #TeamKidney participant.
There’s some buzz growing around Chicago about the 40th annual Chicago Marathon. On October 8th, participants from all 50 states and 100 countries will traverse Chicago’s streets, whether they are running, walking or biking the course. A marathon is always 26.2 miles long and the Chicago race is known as a fast, flat course.
2017 is the first year that the National Kidney Foundation is a charity partner with the Bank of America Chicago Marathon. Team Kidney members raise funds to the support the NKF and benefit from incentives and inspiration that comes from being a part of a team.
As a member of the NKFI Board of Directors, Brian learned about #TeamKidneys last Spring and committed to run for the NKF with his son, Aidan. This is Brian’s second marathon and Aidan’s first. They are looking forward to sharing the experience together, even if they don’t finish together. Running with a team is a different experience—it makes the race more fun.
“I enjoy being a part of something larger than myself as a Team Kidney member,” Brian says. “Raising awareness about kidney disease is so important. Other diseases capture the national consciousness, but so many Americans are on dialysis or have chronic kidney disease, and I don’t believe the funding or the awareness are where they should be.”