Florida Boys Racing to Raise Awareness about Chronic Kidney Disease

For those watching 15-year old Alex and 12-year-old Mikey Hornborg race their karts around a track at speeds in excess of 75 miles per hour, the danger of kidney disease isn’t the first thing on their minds.  Alex and Mikey are passionate about racing and determined to make their mark in the annual Formula Kart Productions Florida Winter Tour which kicked off in January at the Palm Beach International Raceway.  In the process, they emulate one of their racing heroes, by supporting a worthwhile charitable cause — in this case The Kidney TRUST.

“It’s kind of scary as a mom to seeing them racing as hard as they do,” said Lisa Hornborg.  “But when I see the way their eyes light up at the thought of racing, I’m not about to get in their way.”

Alex and Mikey are racing against drivers in their age groups from 40 countries around the world in this highly competitive sport.  Alex says that his goal is to become a Formula One race driver and Mikey, following in his brother’s footsteps, is focused on developing the driving skills needed to become a champion.

However, the boys’ focus goes beyond the racetrack.  Challenged by their parents, Lisa and Mike, to dedicate their racing to a cause, Alex and Mikey decided to raise money for The TRUST.  In choosing to race for a cause, the boys were following the lead of two-time Indy 500 champion Dan Weldon who raised money for the Alzheimer’s Foundation before his tragic death in a race last October.

The boys take a donation jar to each of their races and have already raised more than $1,500.  They wear The TRUST t-shirts under their racing gear and have placed The TRUST logo on their karts.  “We wanted to have a cause,” says Alex, “and we knew about The TRUST from the work that our Mom does.”

Lisa is Director of Wisdom for DaVita Inc., one of the leading providers of kidney care in the United States and the founding sponsor of The TRUST.   Lisa has herself raised money for The TRUST by riding her bike in the annual Tour DaVita.  The Hornborgs also have a personal stake in the fight against CKD, “My maternal grandmother died of kidney failure in 1930 at the age of 32 before dialysis was available,” said Lisa.  “We’ve come a long way in terms of treatment, but it’s so important to get the word out that CKD can be prevented or controlled if caught in time.  That’s why our whole family supports The TRUST.”

Mikey flipped his cart and broke an arm in a race on February 20, but when interviewed two days later was focused on getting back to the track.  “The doctor says I’ll be out for six to eight weeks,” said Mikey.  “But it’s a long season and I’ll be racing again as soon as I can.”

“It is fantastic to have Alex and Mikey raising money for the TRUST and helping to raise awareness about the dangers of CKD,” said Annette Eros, President and CEO of The Kidney TRUST.  “They are a terrific example of how a younger generation can support and raise awareness about a worthy cause.  Most people who have CKD don’t even know they are at risk.  So, by helping us spread the word about CKD and prevention the boys are helping us save lives.”