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Woman's Legacy Fights Disease

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By D'ANN LAWRENCE WHITE

dlwhite@tampatrib.com

Published: March 4, 2009

VALRICO - A photo of 20-year Valrico residents Karen and Charles Henderson hangs above a booth at the Beef 'O'Brady's restaurant on East State Road 60 in Valrico.

It was their booth, said their daughter, Jodi Stone. Every Friday was date night for the couple.

And date night always included dinner at Beef 'O'Brady's, where the Hendersons would wait, if necessary, for their favorite booth to open up.

Charles Henderson still drops by Beef's on Friday nights for a bite to eat, and he continues to sit in the couple's favorite booth. However, his wife of 36 years no longer accompanies him.

On Feb. 26, 2008, Karen Henderson, 64, died from complications of polycystic kidney disease, which her daughter and sister are battling as well. Her death, and her memory, have led Henderson's family on a campaign to raise awareness about the disease and to raise money for research to find a cure.

In the year after her death, Charles Henderson, Stone, Henderson's son Charlie Henderson and their families formed a nonprofit foundation called Karen's Kause and have raised more than $7,000 for research.

On Saturday, in honor of National Kidney Month, they will host a fundraiser at the couple's date-night hangout, Beef 'O' Brady's at 2561 E. State Road 60, from noon to 9 p.m.

A percentage of food sales will be donated to Karen's Kause. In addition, there will be drawings, a silent auction, music, children's activities, tai chi classes and other fundraising activities.

"It's been quite a year adjusting without mom," said Stone, 33, of Lithia. "She was just so bubbly. She had such a great sense of humor and was always making jokes, no matter how badly she was feeling. She was just so vivacious, full of life, love and laughter."

An estimated 600,000 people in the United States have polycystic kidney disease, a genetic disorder characterized by the growth of cysts in the kidneys. As the cysts fill with fluid, the kidneys enlarge, resulting in reduced function and kidney failure.

There is no treatment or cure. And, because it's a genetic disease, chances are other family members will get it.

Such is the case in the Henderson family. Although her only current symptom is hypertension, Stone has tested positive for the disease as has her aunt, who underwent a kidney transplant three years ago.

"I have three daughters, and I want to find a cure," Stone said. "I don't want to have to worry about their futures."

A nurse at Brandon Regional Hospital for 15 years, Karen Henderson managed the disease until 2007, when she began experiencing problems. In addition to hypertension, PKD can cause chronic pain, urinary tract infections, kidney stones, cysts in other organs, hernias, gastrointestinal complications and aneurysms.

She began dialysis in June 2007, and that November, doctors decided to remove one of her kidneys. Complications from the surgery proved fatal.

"It was my brother's idea to form the foundation," Stone said. "We took our grief and put it into starting the foundation and raising money for a cure. We found it really helped us through the grieving process, especially my dad. It gave him something to focus on."

The family launched their foundation at the Valrico Beef 'O' Brady's where the couple spent so many Friday nights, hosting a fundraiser and collecting their first $1,000 for polycystic kidney disease research. Restaurant owner Jeff Fuerst and his employees joined the celebration, dedicating the booth in honor of Karen Henderson.

In addition, the family took part in the Suncoast Chapter of the National Polycystic Kidney Foundation's eighth annual Walk for a Cure Sept. 20 at Fort DeSoto Park in Pinellas County, raising $2,100 for the foundation and winning the Top Rookie Award.

For information on Karen's Kause, contact Stone at stone3snuggles@netzero.net or visit www.karenskause .camp8.org.

Reporter D'Ann Lawrence White can be reached at (813) 657-4524.

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