I'm 32 years old. I've always been helpful and compassionate to others, rarely thinking of my own feelings. My sisters and I followed our mother's upbringing, which wasn't always easy. When I heard Shad speak, I felt overwhelmed by what I'd heard. I could feel myself closely identifying with his story. Something inside me said, "This is SO me!" When Shad said, "We need people like you on our team," I felt very psyched about the whole thing. I would describe myself as fun-loving, easy going, and outgoing, someone with a big heart. My greatest challenge is finding self-confidence. Others see me differently and tell me so - and I have a great deal of difficulty believing and understanding what they see. I want to be a leader (but don't know how to get there yet!). I'm working on getting the positives back in my life. And because I've got these challenges, I want others to see that I've been there - that I've been down-in-the-dumps - and if you do the little things,the baby steps, that's what's important. I've been playing volleyball for 4 years, and starting golf lessons with my Mom. Since meeting Shad, I've been motivated to get more fit and healthy. I'm walking every day and focusing on nutrition, fitness, and taking good care of myself. Besides my inner challenges of developing confidence and leadership skills, I've had many difficulties early in life. The first when I was 7- my parents separated (and later divorced). I had no idea what was happening, except when I saw his things stacked along the hallway wall. It was very difficult, because my Father didn't want my sisters and me to visit him. This was heartbreaking. With no Father figure in my life, I lost all confidence during this time, and ended up failing Grade 2. My second challenge began when I was 11. Our 3-month old niece came to live with us permanently. My sisters and I became "instant Mothers"! Although I was excited, it was a huge challenge: my Mother was working 3 jobs to support us. My sisters and I raised our niece by doing the motherly jobs: diaper changes, bottles, feeding, bathing, bed times, everything involved in raising a child. We hardly had any time to spend with our Mom. Our Grandma became our Mom and passed away when I was 16. That was over 15 years ago; and I still haven't fully accepted her death to this day. One blessing was that we took her to Europe the summer before she died: "a dream come true." After graduating from high school, I got accepted into college and started a job. I tried to manage it all: commuting, attending college, working, and taking care of my niece. It was too much for me; and my self-confidence took another nose-dive. I got married at 23. When I was 27, I started to get very sick -- feeling incredibly weak and throwing up every morning. I went to a local Internist who kept adjusting my medication up and down, which made me sicker. Finally, I was sent to a Renal specialist in May/02 - and was diagnosed with IGA Nephropathy. It wasn't until March/03 that I had my catheter put in - one of the worst days of my life. I started dialysis even though I had not sufficiently healed - I was in a lot of pain during this week-long ordeal. During that time (end of February/03), my husband left me. No explanation. No discussion. I was very heart-broken, and depressed, lost trust and self-confidence. The only support came from my Mom, sisters, and friends. It was a period of extreme loneliness. One of the few positives was that my Father told me (for the first time) that he loves me! The child that was lost had finally been found again! The next 1-1/2 years, I focused on saving my marriage rather than my health. I went on the transplant list because my Mom and my sisters were not a match. I got the call April/05 that there was a kidney for me. I was so excited! I thought this would be the start of my new life. Within hours after surgery, I was light-headed, nauseated, and couldn't keep anything down. A week later, the biopsy showed there was no blood going to the kidney, so they removed it. It felt like the end of the line. The amazing thing is that I met a really terrific guy (Chris) 6 months before my kidney transplant. He stayed with me through the whole ordeal!! I kept waiting for him to abandon me, but he DIDN'T!! We got married September/06 and bought a house February/07. I'm still on the transplant list. I'm happier than ever with Chris and Ivy (our daughter). I still battle with fatigue - my self-confidence is still an issue - keeping myself well-nourished is a constant challenge. I'm working on getting strong and fit - especially through my daily walking routine. I deserve a spot on Team Ireland. Opportunities come that should be taken if offered. I know this is one of them! I know I would gain a great deal of self-confidence. I want to be a positive figure for others. By gaining experience, I know I can become a leader, accept myself, and overcome my fears. If I hadn't met Shad, I might never have had this opportunity. Knowing he believes in me helps me believe in myself. I want to inspire people - this would be the "goal of a lifetime" for me. I know I CAN DO IT! Being with the team, racing with them, being healthy. I am very outgoing and easy to get along with - a good person who would give you the shirt off her back. I want to know the real Kim again - the person who is bubbly, smiling, with a lot of self-esteem and respect for my health. I deserve to know what it feels like to cross a finish line.

Wow it’s almost Race Day

Posted in '09 Kim Barrey

Hello Everyone

Posted in '09 Kim Barrey

Welcome to Kim’s Page

Posted in '09 Kim Barrey