JAMESTOWN - Members of the Southern Tier Kidney Association (STKA) recently gathered in the Dialysis department at WCA Hospital to see firsthand how their hard work and generosity have paid off. Thanks to the success of last summer's Kidney Challenge Walk and other fundraising efforts, the STKA recently donated a total of $17,595 to WCA Hospital to purchase 10 heated recliners, including three oversized recliners, to provide greater comfort to patients undergoing dialysis.

"This is a wonderful gift," Maryann Wilcox, R.N., Dialysis Nurse Manager at WCA Hospital, said. "These first-class heated recliners are so vital to our patients' comfort and well-being during their treatments. On behalf of our staff, our patients, and their families, I can't thank the dedicated volunteers of the Southern Tier Kidney Association enough for their incredible commitment to enhancing the dialysis experience."

The Southern Tier Kidney Association is holding its third annual Kidney Challenge Walk on Sunday, June 12 at the Dr. Lillian Vitanza Ney Renaissance Center in downtown Jamestown. Registration begins at noon with the first steps being taken at 1 p.m. along Third Street to Logan Park.

All of this year's event proceeds will go toward the purchase of a solution warmer and vital signs monitors for the benefit of kidney patients served by the WCA Hospital Dialysis department.

The event will feature live music, a post-walk cookout, and basket auction. At 12:45 p.m., tribute butterflies will be released In Memory of or In Honor of those who have been impacted by chronic kidney disease.

Individuals can register to walk on-line, join a team, or sponsor a walker by visiting www.SouthernTierKidneyAssoc.org. For more information, please call 716-664-8316 or e-mail This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

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