‘Boogie on the Bayou’ to benefit kidney disease patients

NephCure Kidney International, a nonprofit organization focused on finding better treatments for patients suffering from rare and chronic kidney diseases, will hold its inaugural Boogie on the Bayou fundraiser Saturday in Stephensville.

Gros’ Marina on 4-Mile Bayou Road will host the event noon-6 p.m.

Ryan Foret & Foret Tradition will be headlining Boogie on the Bayou, with all proceeds from the event going to support NephCure’s mission, a news release said.

About 100,000 people in the United States have the chronic diseases, which include focal segmental glomerulosclerosis, IgA nephropathy and nephrotic syndrome. Many of them live on dialysis and have had multiple kidney transplants, said Donna Phenald, NephCure’s community fundraising coordinator for Louisiana.

Several patients with the rare kidney diseases plan to attend the event and a couple of them who’ve had kidney transplants this year will tell their stories, Phenald said. Lt. Gov. Billy Nungesser, the event’s honorary chairman, is also scheduled to attend.

Phenald served as chairwoman of a fundraising event in Baton Rouge last year. Leroy Gros, who owns Gros’ Marina, is Phenald’s first cousin. After talking to her cousin about the organization, he offered to hold a fundraising event this year at his business, Phenald said.

Upon presenting the idea to the organization’s committee, they originally scheduled to hold the fundraiser in April. However, organizers had to reschedule due to flooding in the area. Louisiana Seafood and Marketing Board donated Louisiana seafood that organizers will sell at Boogie on the Bayou. There will also be live and silent auctions along with a bake sale.

Though organizers have always previously held the Louisiana fundraiser in Baton Rouge, Phenald decided that bringing the event closer to some of the affected families would be a good idea.

Phenald doesn’t have any family members with the rare kidney diseases. But after hearing patients’ stories, “you can’t help but want to do all that you can do to help find a cure,” she said.