Kidney Transplant Recipient Tom Peek Rides the Extra Mile to Fight CKD

Tom Peek of Park City, Utah was an unlikely person to be struck by kidney failure in his early 50’s. An accomplished skier and mountain bike enthusiast, Tom and his family, including his wife Lori and daughters Devin and Kylie, were leading active, outdoors-oriented lives. But Tom developed a rare disease called Goodpasture Syndrome that led rapidly to kidney failure and he found himself on dialysis in January of 2008.

Kylie, Lori, Tom and Devin. ©2011 Chris Jameson

Tom was very ill, but did well on dialysis for two years until he was able to receive a kidney transplant from his brother in October 2009. Since that time he’s been able to get back to biking and skiing and resume his real estate business full-time. He even felt well enough this year to take on the challenge of the 2011 Tour DaVita – a 260-mile, three-day bike ride to benefit The Kidney TRUST that crossed Connecticut and part of Massachusetts in September.

“I feel like I’m one of the lucky ones and have been looking for a way to give back,” said Tom. “When a friend who had ridden in previous years told me about the Tour, I knew that I had to give it a try.”

In an interview before the Tour, Tom admitted to being a little anxious about the ride. He related how it had been hard to come back physically over the past couple of years, but he was training diligently and thought that his years of mountain biking experience would help. Tom is a past president of the local Mountain Trails Foundation and put in a lot of miles over the years on the steep trails around Park City.

Tom Peek and Kidney TRUST CEO Annette Eros. © Gloria Upchurch

Like all riders in Tour DaVita, Tom asked his friends and family to support him by donating to The Kidney TRUST and by the time he was through he had raised more than $3,000.  Tom completed the ride in fine style, including Day 3 which was held in a soaking rainstorm. “I felt good during the ride, although like a lot of riders I found it a little more difficult than I expected.  The hills in Connecticut aren’t as high as the Rockies, but there are a lot of them,” said Tom.

“The highlight of the ride for me was visiting patients in a dialysis clinic on the third day,” Tom related. “It wasn’t hard to put myself back in their place. When you’re on dialysis you have to be thankful because it keeps you alive, but you don’t always feel so great.  Keeping a positive outlook is important, as well as doing everything you can to maintain a healthy lifestyle.”

Taking his own advice to heart, Tom is already thinking about getting back on his bike for the Tour next year.  Stay tuned!