Want to join our team in supporting a good cause? We are raising money for the MARK Advocacy Group and TWIGS as we participate in the 2023 Rock, Roll & Race 5K to support individual living with chronic disease and cancer. Your contribution will make an impact, whether you donate $5 or $500!
Funds raised through this event help MARK Advocacy Group and TWIGS fulfill their mission to support people struggling with kidney disease, heart disease, diabetes and cancer. MARK and TWIGS provide resources, education, advocacy and guidance as people manager their disease and supply support to aid the healing process. Your support allows us to continue providing these critical services to individuals and their families.
You can help make a difference by donating to ourTeam's page throughout the Rock, Roll and Race 5k! Thank you for your support and generosity!
Our founder, Marcy Rzepka's story:
Marchelle (Marcy) Rzepka is one truly unique individual that the world would be privileged to get to know – beginning with the world of people facing kidney disease. Marcy is currently 53 years old. In 2015 she was diagnosed with Stage 3 kidney disease which was reversible but due to a gamut of other issues, decided to put the diagnosis on the back burner.
Marcy was at the time grieving the sudden loss of her younger brother, Mark Weaver, who had moved alone to Iowa, and on top of it all found out that she, as a young woman, had this chronic disease. She believed at the time that kidney disease would not control her, she would control it.
To help her maintain through her period of grief, Marcy wanted to have Mark’s death have a positive outcome, so together with her mother, Beverly Weaver, Rzepka came up with an acronym for Mark’s name that she could work with later – as she felt more comfortable with her grief. Thus the beginning workings of the MARK Advocacy Group which stands for Memories Are Respectfully Kept.
Rzepka was Mark’s advocate and witnessed the reasons for not only his health issues but the emotional and psychological aspects that resulted because of the health issues. Mark never felt that he had a voice when it came to his health and all of the problems that resulted because the medical professionals, as opposed to listening, formed their own opinions about this man in his 30’s and decided the best way to deal with him was to stereotype him and fill him with drugs that only added to his difficulties.
It took a few years, but Marcy finally found what she wanted to have her brother’s name represent: she wanted the MARK Advocacy Group to be there for all people, of every age, ethnicity, and financial background to have a place they could turn to in order to learn to be the captain of their own team; forming their group with people that hear them and support them – real-sounding boards. She wants people to understand that just because a doctor has a degree, they are not God; that doctors cannot dictate your care. Only you have the choice to accept or deny their suggestions. You don’t have to simply deal with what they want.
