May 19, 2022 – Meet Hélio at the M1 Concourse! Four-time Indy 500 winner Hélio Castroneves will be greeting fans as part of the National Kidney Foundation of Michigan’s newest event, Kidneys on Track, on Thursday, June 2, 2022! The event starts at 6:00 p.m. at the M1 Concourse, an exclusive garage community next to an exhilarating 1.5-mile champion motor speedway at 1 Concourse Drive, off iconic Woodward Avenue, in Pontiac. This event will support the NKFM in its mission to prevent kidney disease and help those who are living with it.
Kidneys on Track will include an opportunity for hot laps on the track, an open bar featuring Tito’s handmade vodka, a sommelier-guided wine selection, a ilent auction and a fabulous strolling dinner with dessert. This evening to remember is $500 per person and tickets are still available at https://nkfm.org/event. For more information, contact Sharon Hardin at 734.222.9800 or shardin@nkfm.org.
“More than one million Michiganders are living with kidney disease today. This is far beyond acceptable,” states Dr. Kal Ismail, the local nephrologist and NKFM Board member who is spearheading the event. “The NKFM has set out to supercharge the fight against kidney disease by melding our love for cars and speed with our desire for a healthy future for Michigan. We are extremely excited to invite our friends to the M1 Concourse to support Kidneys on Track.”
As part of its commitment to leading the statewide fight against kidney disease, the NKFM is investing in its impact today and into the future. The Foundation will scale up its efforts, increasing its ability to reach those at risk of kidney disease as well as those living with it. Kidneys on Track will help fund this effort.
Northville resident Jimmy Nafso, 47, developed strep throat at age 13 and it damaged his kidneys. In 2005, his mom donated a kidney to him. Seventeen years later, the kidney is still working, but he understands the reality of living with chronic kidney disease.
“You have studies that support that high blood pressure and diabetes are the major causes of kidney disease, and that those are both preventable,” states Nafso, who is president of Fortis in Novi. “Make sure you are getting tested for these diseases. Making regular checkups, diet and exercise are extremely important. It’s so important for these messages to get out. There needs to be more support around kidney disease and attention to it.”
Nafso and his wife Sylvia are major sponsors of Kidneys on Track. “M1 has been here for a couple of years now but not everybody gets the opportunity to go there,” states Nafso. “A lot of times these events are held in a banquet hall. This is totally different. We have Hélio, a great Indy car racer, coming. So it’ll be fun even if you’re not passionate about cars.”
Share the excitement with other auto enthusiasts against the colorful backdrop of performance machines roaring by on the nearby speedway. Please join the NKFM and its friends in the center of all things automotive on June 2 at Kidneys on Track.
