Kidneys For Kids will be hosting its first Bay County Health Fair at Bay City Town Center this month, providing visitors with the opportunity to receive free medical and dental screenings, donate blood, and learn about local resources. The event will feature informational booths from organizations such as Recovery Pathways, CAN Council, Bay Area ISD, and Boys & Girls Club, as well as free activities for children. Admission is free, and Bay Metro will offer complimentary rides to those who register for the event.
Brian Martindale, the executive director of Kidneys For Kids and a kidney donor, is spearheading the health fair in collaboration with McLaren Bay Medical Foundation and other partners. The goal is to make Bay County one of the healthiest counties in Michigan. Martindale is gearing up for his summer 2024 Driving for Life trip, a 10,000-mile driving tour that will promote living kidney donation. The journey will begin in June and include stops in 24 cities, culminating in New York City where Martindale will appear on a live interview on Good Morning America alongside families in need of kidney transplants.
Martindale’s mission is to raise awareness about the safety and importance of kidney donation, highlighting that it can even be done for young children. In 2013, he donated a kidney to a child he had read about in The Bay City Times. With advancements in kidney transplant and medicine, he believes that kidney donation can provide life-long benefits to recipients. For more Bay City- and Saginaw-area news, you can bookmark the local news page or sign up for the free “3@3″ daily newsletter specific to the area.