A team of 11 participants completed a nine-day "Kokoda for Kidneys" (K4K) fundraising trek last weekend at Sogeri, Central Province.
It is an initiative to raise funds for prominent radio broadcaster, Roger Hau’ofa.
Hau'ofa’s daughter and team leader of the K4K team, Michelle Hau'ofa, says her father has been diagnosed with kidney failure and at the moment, there is no support of any sort, let alone kidney treatment, in PNG.
Michelle says they cannot get into the kidney foundation treatment because there are only two machines at running capacity. They also have to pay K1000 for a dialysis session at a private hospital and it's out of reach for most Papua New Guineans.
"It’s very difficult for us as a family to meet that for Roger so we're raising funds to send him overseas for treatment and to see a specialist and get a different prognosis," Michelle says.
To send Roger overseas, the family needs a minimum of K200, 000, which is currently their main aim.
So far, the Hau'ofas have netted K17, 000 from K4K fundraising but as they were walking, more pledges had been coming in.
"Hopefully, we will meet our goal," says Michelle.
Michelle adds that the long term goal for this fundraiser would be to address kidney treatment issues in PNG.
