One in nine adults in the United States is living with chronic kidney disease and many more do not know that they are at risk.

That is why the National Kidney Foundation of Middle Tennessee is calling on the help of 11-year-old Karley Prince and other area residents for its second annual Kidney Walk set for Oct. 3 on the squad at Tennessee Technological University.

"Twenty-six million Americans have kidney disease with over 6,100 living in Tennessee,” said Lelia Gibson, chair of the event. “Over 4,000 people in Tennessee are living with kidney transplants. The Kidney Walk will draw attention to the importance of early detection for those at risk while raising funds for kidney patients and their families.”

Prince, daughter of Mike Prince and Robin Rose of Crossville, knows the importance of early detection all too well. She was born with a rare disease called cystinosis, which affected her kidneys early on in life. When she was six and a half years old, her kidneys began to fail, resulting in a kidney transplant at age seven. Her father was her donor, and since day one of the transplant, Prince has had a healthier life, noted Kim S. Troup, development director of the National Kidney Foundation of Middle Tennessee.

“Before her surgery, Karley was pale and thin, her hair was baby fine and her eyes carried a deep sadness,” she said. “Overnight she had color in her skin and she had no further hospitalizations for dehydration.”

Prince, a strong advocate for organ donation and supporter of the “Share Your Spare” campaign, will be joining more than 200 participants for the annual Kidney Walk.

“Karley, who will be 12 in November, is the youngest team captain we have ever had at one of our Kidney Walks,” said Troup.

Prince is very excited, and her team, Karley’s Kidney Crew, is looking forward to participating in the walk, too.

"The walk is a very powerful way for Karley to express herself and to share her happiness with others who understand what it is like to have kidney disease,” Troup stated.

Walkers of all ages are invited to join in the fun by walking individually or by forming a team. For more information about the walk or to register, call the National Kidney Foundation of Middle Tennessee at (615) 383-3887. Registration is available online at www.kidneywalk.org. Onsite registration the day of the walk will also be accepted.

The Kidney Walk is sponsored locally by Anderson Performance Printing, Averitt Express, Cookeville Regional Medical Center, Cummins Filtration, Wal-Mart of Algood and Cookeville, CareAll Home Care, Cookeville Evening Lions Club, Cumberland Kidney Center – Dr. M.K. Zieno, Community Bank of the Cumberlands, Amgen, Regions Bank, Farm Bureau, Varitees, Country Giant Radio, the Herald Citizen, Charter Communications and WCTE-TV.

Honorary chairs for the 2009 walk are Phil Pierce, a kidney transplant recipient, Chynna Crawford and Ty Street who both have chronic kidney disease.

The National Kidney Foundation of Middle Tennessee is dedicated to the prevention of kidney and urinary tract disease, improving the health and well-being of patients and families affected by these diseases and increasing the availability of all organs for transplantation. For more information about their services, call (615) 383-3887.

Copyright 2009 Associated Press.