Ikpeba, Akanni, others play against kidney disease
Victor Ikpeba //Image: SuperSport
SOME former Super Eagles’ players, including Victor Ikpeba, Waidi AKanni, Taribo West and Peter Rufai, will on Saturday go back to the football pitch in a game aimed at drawing attention to the kidney disease scourge.
The players will join the Bowtie Club in a football match at the Campos mini Stadium to kick against the disease that has over 20 million sufferers. Insurance giant, AIICO, has also pledged support in the battle against the deadly disease.
At the game, the football legends would square up against the best of Nollywood stars, led by Fred Amata and comedian, AY Makun. According to the organizers, the event promises to be a very exciting outing with teams from UBA, Sahara Group and the Galacticus joining in the game.
According to the organizers, the need to create more awareness and force Nigerians to have a rethink of their habits has led to this initiative, which promises to throw more light and force public discourse on the need to pay closer attention to this ‘silent killer’ in a bid to curb its spread.
The one-day tournament is being organised in honour of Ganiyat Ogunfoworin, who recently lost her life in India, while battling kidney disease and who on her death bed asked the Bowtie Club to do all in its powers to ensure that more Nigerians do not go through the harrowing experience she just did.
“This would be an annual tournament that would provide the opportunity to launch the Kidney Trust Fund, which is a Fund that would lean heavily on social media to raise N200m for Kidney patients. The Fund would be held in custody, by CSL Trustees Limited a Member of the FCMB Group, who will ensure the efficient utilization by Kidney patients,” the organisers said in a statement.
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1 Comments
Kidney disease is mainly caused by lifetime of unaddressed high blood pressure. In addition to the risk of stroke (brain attack) and heart attack, the elements of kidneys in hypertensive persons suffer irreversible damage and reduce kidney function. Reduced kidney function coupled with on going hypertension further increase the risk of stroke and can mean that even the most drastic of pharmacological efforts to control the underlying high blood pressure can chronically difficult. I am one of those patients with chronic hypertension and very poor kidney function. Dietary advice in addition to medical and lifestyle changes are necessary means of staying alive, well and fit. Low fat diet (only eat when hungry), low potassium diet (avoid red wine, dried fruits, coconut and banana), reasonable fitness regime, RELAXATION and conflict avoidance are top of the methods of managing hypertension (blood pressure lowering tablets may be necessary) and stabilizing kidney function. Stay well and remain fruitfully Nigerian. Nigerians like me are naturally hypertensive that is why we are such strong athletes but this comes at a price we have to pay in the risks associated with high blood pressure (i.e., hypertension). Stay fit and well my folks.
We will review and take appropriate action.