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Phi Kappa Psi fraternity will host a charity breakfast to help fight polycystic kidney disease 8 a.m.-noon Saturday.
The menu will include pancakes, eggs, meat, and drinks. The breakfast costs $8 and is open to the public. Proceeds will be donated to the PKD Foundation in memory of Dennis Weins.
Polycystic kidney disease is the most common genetic, life-threatening disease, affecting more than 600,000 Americans and an estimated 12.5 million people worldwide — regardless of sex, age, race or ethnic origin, notes physics major Tim Bragdon ’04 of Rahway, N.J., vice president of Phi Kappa Psi.
Polycystic kidney disease affects more people than cystic fibrosis, muscular dystrophy, hemophilia, Down syndrome, and sickle cell anemia combined, according to the PKD Foundation. “Polycystic means multiple cysts. In effect, PKD denotes multiple cysts on each kidney,” the organization states. “These cysts grow and multiply over time, also causing the mass of the kidney to increase. Ultimately, the diseased kidney shuts down, causing end-stage renal disease for which dialysis and transplantation are the only forms of treatment.”
Donations to the foundation can be made through Bragdon or directly through the PKD web site, www.pkdcure.org. For more information, contact Bragdon at 610-330-4165 or bragdont@lafayette.edu.