Cannan's Kidney Krew: 2013 St. Louis Kidney Foundation Walk (4-27-2013)

UPDATE: Hello Kidney Walkers! Have you checked out the walk thermometer lately?! All donations received to date for the St. Louis Kidney Walk have been posted online. The 2013 St. Louis Kidney Walk has raised over $137,500!!! We had 102 teams and over 1100 walkers participate in this year’s event. Thanks to all of you for your generous support! 

CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR TOP 5 FUNDRAISING TEAMS:
1. Johnny’s Walkers- $9,135
2. Essex KEEP’ers- $6,694
3. The Mismatched Antigens- $5,740
4.  Team Downs- $5,615
5. Cannan’s Kidney Krew- $4,185

The dollars raised from the St. Louis Kidney Walk will fund free kidney health screenings for individuals at risk for kidney disease (those who have diabetes, high blood pressure, or a first degree relative with diabetes, high blood pressure, or kidney disease), cutting edge research initiatives, organ donation action plan to End the Wait!, education resources and information, and patient, public, and professional programs and services right here in our community.

UPDATE: Cannan’s Kidney Krew successfully met their goal and raised $4000.00 for the National Kidney Foundation ranking as the second most productive team in the non-corporate category. Cannan also won the spirit award. Let’s keep Cannan and his family in our hearts as they progress towards a successful transplant. Picture Slide Show at the bottom of this post.

Cannan is the great-grandson of Red and Louis Littrell, and the grandson of Fred & Faye Littrell.

Support Our Team in the Kidney Walk!

Cannan, at the young age of 3, got e. coli poisoning which ultimately led to permanent kidney failure.  We spent over 5 weeks at Cardinal Glennon Children's Medical Center at which time we started hemodialysis.  While we are blessed in more ways than imaginable, Cannan's kidneys are not rebounding as we had hoped for.... we heard those very scary words; "He needs a kidney transplant."  We are adjusting to our new life (Cannan is such a trooper) of a restricted diet, tons of medicine, and preparations for a transplant, however if we can make a small difference in the lives of both children and adults living with this horrible disease we are going to try!!  Please join Cannan and our family as we walk to support the National Kidney Foundation!
Click here to Support Cannan’s Kidney Krew Click here to view Cannan’s Kidney Krew’s Facebook page
Ready to order t-shirts! Available in regular t-shirt (youth small -adult 3x) for $12, and a ladies fitted v-neck tee or a male dri-fit tee for $15. Send me a message with your order! I will collect money and distribute shirts before the walk... if you can't walk with us considering buying a shirt and wearing it on April 27 to support us! Out of town friends... don't worry.. I will ship your shirts to you! The more people all over the country making an effort to "combat kidney disease" the better! :)	amy.pytlinski@gmail.com

March 19 Facebook Post: Two full days of evaluation done!! Cannan did absolutely great and melted the hearts of all the medical staff he came in contact with! Hopefully in the next few weeks I (Amy) will get my donor evaluation completed and we can schedule the surgery! Ready to put this behind us! Hope to get the transplant completed sooner rather than later so Cannan can start Kindergarten in August... he is so excited for school! And props to Todd who is going to have to be Cannan's caretaker after the surgery since I will be down and out myself! I know he will do absolutely great... I just have to relinquish control which is not easy for me! :)                    

April 7 Facebook Post/Event:  Fred would appreciate everyone who will be attending the Family reunion in October this year to order a t-shirt on Cannan's kidney transplant. He suggested that we get a t-shirt to wear at the reunion to show Cannan our support. All the info to order one is in the family newsletter. I'm sure Cannan would be happily surprised.

April 7 Facebook Post:  Read about this on Mary Catherine Littrell-Cook's FB page (I am Onene Curtis' granddaughter). Let me know where to send the check and I will order a T-shirt and pay for postage, but it will need to be mailed to me in Colorado. Thanks.

• Cannan's Kidney Krew:     Sandra--- thanks for you support! What size shirt do you need? I would be more than happy to mail to you in Colorado! I have other friends in Colorado who are ordering! So happy to hear Cannan has his own army combating kidney disease in Colorado!

• Cannan's Kidney Krew:     BTW-- I LOVED Aunt Onene and Uncle Bert!

• Sandra Savat-Mann:          …Pa's been gone a long time but I sure would like to sit down at Ma's table and hear her say, "It probably ain't fittin' to eat". LOL, her dinners were always awesome!

• Cannan's Kidney Krew:      Ha! So true... I can hear Aunt Onene saying that like it was yesterday! Really miss all the family get togethers with my Grandpa Red and his siblings...

• Sandra Savat-Mann:           I miss them, too. They were so much closer than we seem to be these days. I can still remember Ma and Aunt Bertha bickering while making dressing and dumplings (Aunt Bertha made the best dumplings!).

April 18 Facebook Post: Rough day today... I (Amy) went for the final phase of my donor evaluation.... Found out that due to the anatomy of my kidneys and arteries I cannot donate. This news hit me like a ton of bricks... I would do anything to have Cannan feel better and it is heartbreaking to know that I can't. Please pray for us as Todd begins the evaluation process... We absolutely need him to get donor clearance! Cannan needs this!!

April 22 Facebook Post: Troy and I will be attending the Kidney Walk in St. Louis this Saturday. We will be arriving Friday and staying at the Econo Lodge (MO312),  4576 Woodson Rd. , Saint Louis, MO, US, 63134
Join the team, support little Cannan and lets get together.

April 27 via mobile:  Kidney walk party has started! My boys and I are jammin to some music on this fine rainy morning! Cannan's Krew is ready to combat kidney disease! Now... The rain can stop anytime!

April 27 Facebook Post:  Fun times this morning, despite the rain! Thanks to all for supporting us and to those that braved the weather today:)

April 30 Facebook Post:  I hope you all can help me congratulate Amy for all her hard work she did in once again organizing the Kidney Walk for us and especially Cannan. Because of her we were able to raise a significantly larger amount than last year to help fight this disease. Thanks for your hard work Amy!

April 30 Facebook Post :   Thank you for the recognition... Much appreciated but not necessary.... The true person who deserves recognition is Cannan! That little guy wakes up everyday and battles this awful disease... But you would never know, because in typical Cannan fashion, he puts a smile on his face and pushes forward through any obstacle thrown at him! I would be ecstatic if I had half his strength, determination and zest for life! I am so lucky to be his mommy.... He is my hero!

-click arrow to restart slide show-
New pictures will be added as they are received. Email to: gdl@glenns-world.com
It isn’t too late to purchase t-shirts. See above.