Local Woman Running Marathon for Mom

By Jennifer Roy
Daily News
April 17, 2006

Jennifer McGuiggan’s life has been sadly affected by PKD, a tragic disease she admittedly knows nothing about.

The Waltham High School graduate lost her uncle to the disease last year.

Her mother, Waltham resident Dini Wilson, also suffers from PKD, polycystic kidney disease, which is characterized by enlarged kidneys containing many cysts. It often leads to kidney failure.

About 650,000 Americans suffer from PKD, according to the PKD Foundation. Instead of sitting idly by and watching her mother, who also is her best friend, suffer, she decided to do something.

McGuiggan, the 28-year-old mother of young Ryan and Matthew, decided to run the Boston Marathon for the first time.

"My mom is my best friend and it has truly been awful to see this happen to someone who means so much to me. She is such a healthy, vibrant and active person," she said. "The draining task of four-hour dialysis treatments three times a week has been so devastating to her."

McGuiggan said a friend asked her to run the Marathon about a week before Thanksgiving. "I didn’t have to think twice," she said. "I’ve always wanted to do that."

McGuiggan ran for Waltham High School and for one year while a student at the University of Massachusetts at Dartmouth.

Wilson, who started dialysis treatments in October, said PKD is "not well-recognized" and runs in her family.

Most who carry the non-infectious disease won’t show symptoms for many years. Symptoms include abdominal pain, kidney stones and high blood pressure.

McGuiggan has been training for the Marathon since November and will run as a bandit - a participant who has not qualified for the race and does not receive a number bib.

She said she has completed a 20-mile run during her training.

"I’m certainly confident we will finish, but it’s just a matter of the time," McGuiggan said. "Now, I’m ready and waiting to get this done."

She said she has raised a couple thousand dollars so far for the PKD Foundation and is hoping Marathon officials add the charity to its list next year.

The Boston Athletic Association, which hosts the Marathon, adds three new charities each year.

McGuiggan said she will run again next year if the PKD Foundation is added. "We are trying," she said.

To donate to the PKD Foundation, send a check payable to The PKD Foundation and mail it to PKD Foundation Northeast Chapter c/o Cathy Rulli, 32 Croton St., Wellesley, MA 02481.