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Kenton Walks U.S. for HS (Ended)

Update: Hey, everyone! First off, apologies on the delay in updating all of you on what is going on. You all have been so supportive from start to finish and I can't thank you enough, and you deserve to be given much more attention than I have given you. For that I am sorry, especially to the Angels, for whom I owe the most, as they gave me their trust and friendship on a deep and personal level. When I first decided to take a break from the walk, I wasnt entirely sure if I would decide to resume it. Around the 500 mile mark in the Florida panhandle, I suffered a bit of a mental break. The umbilical hernia that had formed from pushing the heavy cart 10+/- miles per day was very painful to walk with. I had hoped that perhaps after some rest that my stomach would somehow mend. I guess it just doesn't work that way. To this day it is an issue, but in post-walk life it is only a minor and manageable inconvenience, whereas during the walk it had continued to worsen. There were some other issues that had bothered me, some that have left long lasting scars, a nasty tick bite among them that to this day occasionally itches, but that is not a problem to stop the walk over. The real 3 issues are this: The first issue is my umbilical hernia, that alone eventually convinced me that continuing the walk would not be healthy. I still lift heavy things and do hard work, I have to work, but continuing the very thing that caused the hernia is unwise. The second issue is that I suffered some kind of hip injury during the walk and actually didn't notice it until recently, hopefully this is something that can be fixed, but has been the most persistent leg issue I have experienced. The third issue and the one I am most embarassed to admit is... I just dont think I am cut out for it. I started the walk for two reasons: to bring awareness to HS, and to learn more about myself and conquer my demons. During the walk I learned that no matter how far I run away, I am still me, and I am still stuck there with myself. During the walk, despite becoming more bold and more in touch with nature, and making new and wonderful friends, I didnt change. I wanted to, but I just couldn't. I just didn't. Funnily enough, having failed at changing into the person I wanted to be during the walk, and realizing it now, I feel might incur the change I need. My biggest mistakes are failing those I love, and now I want to try harder to be there for friends and family. Running away won't fix that. So this is me officially stating that this break has become an end to the walk. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for sticking with me along the way. In regards to the funds from the GoFundMe campaign, the original goal was to raise a minimum of 5000 dollars for the walk, donating whatever was leftover after the walk had ended to be split among multiple projects, though that plan has now changed. At the rate you all were contributing donations, to which you owe yourselves endless praise, we would have no doubt far exceeded that amount had the walk continued. You all are amazing. With the walk having stopped, I feel the need to instead donate the $1,519 to "The HS Foundation", which will also benefit "Hope for HS" as they work hand in hand. They were the original benefactors in the walks conception and were both incredibly supportive during my journey. There may be a future for "Walk for HS", but at this time I am unable to continue with it. I would also like to thank the wonderful people of HSAwareness.org, who have put together a compendium of resources for those who suffer from HS and those who have loved ones that suffer from HS. I will be making a personal donation in due time to HS Awareness, who have been both friends and supporters to me. I would like to plan a trip to Michigan to make the community's donation to The HS Foundation in person. I want this to be soon. I will discuss a timeline with all of you shortly after I speak to the people I need to about it. Thank you all so much for your support along the way. You are truly beyond any value and were the real warriors in this walk. I still have many more photos and videos of the walk to share with you. I will upload them on the Facebook group soon. ----------- Hi! My name is Kenton. I have began walking across America to raise funding for research of Hidradenitis Suppurativa and to spread awareness. I am asking that you help me succeed. To raise awareness for HS I will be doing television interviews, radio / podcast interviews, and written interviews. You can follow my text, photo, and video updates of the journey in the "Kenton's Walk for HS" Facebook group , my Instagram , and my YouTube channel. On August 11th, 2017, I began walking from Tybee Island east of Savannah, Georgia. I wet my feet in the Atlantic Ocean and started walking west to the Pacific Ocean on the other side of America. I'll be ending my quest in beautiful sunny Oceanside, California. 2500 miles, ocean to ocean. It will be hot, it will be cold, it will be hard, and it will hurt - but I'll battle through it. I've been wanting to do it a long time, so I am so happy to finally be moving forward with it.  Initially, donations will help me on my journey across America, making sure I don't find myself without food, a place to throw my tent up, or without shoes on my feet. It will also help to keep me connected so I can document the journey on YouTube. All raised money remaining after the walk has ended will be donated to HS-Foundation.org I am not affiliated with The Hidradenitis Suppurativa Foundation, but the money donated to it will do a great deal for people with HS. It's organized by doctors that research the disease, educate others, and develop treatments. The funds raised on this GoFundMe can happen over a long period of time, because the walk itself may take over 6 months. I don't need a certain amount exactly to begin the walk itself. I have a little of my own money to get myself started. Check if my journey will come near you. Even if you can't donate I could use a bed and a shower or at the very least a yard to throw my cot. Point is, every little bit you give would make a dramatic difference in the quality and safety of my walk, even if it is a few months from now. I am eternally grateful. I will be walking for a long time. What is Hidradenitis Suppurativa? Hidradenitis Suppurativa is a non-contagious chronic skin disorder characterized by recurrent boil-like lumps under the skin. It is very painful and is said to be incurable. Over time the condition worsens and leaves its victims with massive scarring and holes in their bodies. Eventually it makes it dificult to move without severe pain. I have had HS since I was about twelve, but only recently in 2010 was I given an official diagnosis. HS is a largely overlooked skin disorder, since it shows up in places typically not visible to others. Because of its presence in intimate areas, people tend to be too embarrassed to get diagnosed or to even talk to friends or family about it. Though it can appear in more visible areas, it has often been called an "invisible disease".  As such, it hasn't gotten the attention it needs to bring in funding to help develop good treatments for those who suffer from it. A note to my concerned friends and family: Many people before me have done this walk. In fact, my walk goes along the bottom edge of the US, so it is about 500 miles shorter than many of the transcontinental walks that have been done before. Also, don't worry about my encounters with other people. Nearly everyone that has done a walk has said the biggest surprise was how amazing and good-hearted the people they encountered were. By and large, their experiences with other people along the way were positive experiences. I want to do this to inspire others with HS. My condition is not yet as severe as many and I understand there are some whose HS is far enough along in severity that a walk like this would be out of the question. For those of you at that point: I am doing this for you too, not just myself. Since this disease is progressive, that is one of the reasons I want to do this walk now while I can and not later when I can't. I hope I am able to inspire some people with burdens to do something they've wanted to but have been afraid of.
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Donations 

  • Anonymous
    • $20 
    • 6 yrs
  • Anonymous
    • $70 (Offline)
    • 6 yrs
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Organizer

Kenton E Bailey
Organizer
Louisville, KY

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