SALISBURY — For more years than anyone can keep track of, Tom McDaniel has been a part of local youth sports.

He played at Knox Middle School and Salisbury High School, then coached and served as an official through various youth programs and Salisbury Parks and Recreation.

“Folks all across the state know us,” says McDaniel.

He has been diabetic since 1994, and the medications have played a part in damaging both his kidneys. He had heard from his family doctor about a possible problem last October, and soon both kidneys began to fail.

McDaniel was told to expect dialysis in the near future, possibly around the first of this year. So far, he’s been able to avoid it, but time is growing short.

McDaniel needs to find a kidney, preferably from a living donor.

Warning signs included a metallic taste in his mouth, a loss of appetite and a lingering tiredness.

“I had to be careful because I could fall asleep quickly at any given time,” McDaniel said. “I had to find ways to stay alert.”

Judy McDaniel, Tom’s wife of 33 years, is leading the fight to raise awareness about kidney disease and what to expect.

“We couldn’t find a support group close by, but God’s grace put people in the right places,” she said. “At first, Tom didn’t want to tell anyone. And then he found that a friend had the same struggles going on. We decided to let people know not just about Tom’s condition, but we wanted others to know the warning signs, methods of treatment and options for the best quality of life. I want to be a voice for him.”

Finding a kidney is not easy. More than 100,000 people are on the kidney waiting list at any given time. Many wait five years or more and often die before a donor can be found.

Family members are usually the first options for donation of a healthy kidney.

“We began by telling our children, then my siblings,” Tom McDaniel said. “None of them are options because of heredity, high blood pressure and diabetes. We decided to go public on Super Bowl Sunday, all wearing T-shirts announcing the need for a kidney on Facebook.”

Many of those who receive a kidney will get one from a deceased donor. Better yet is a living kidney donation that typically lasts longer and has better function.

McDaniel didn’t know much about a living donation and realizes that many would be afraid of the surgery and what living with one remaining kidney means.

“You only need one healthy kidney to live a long life,” he said. “Most donor surgery is done with tiny incisions, and the recuperation is generally two weeks. All costs will be covered by my insurance, and a separate team of health care professionals will help any donor understand the risks and benefits and help assess his or her best interests.”

Judy McDaniel didn’t stop with her Facebook campaign. She and Tom got more information from classes at Wake Forest Baptist Hospital in Winston-Salem. They decided to make the journey twofold, not just about Tom’s need but by raising the bar on kidney disease awareness.

A program for Kidney Disease Awareness Love Walk is scheduled for 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. March 23 at Park Avenue Community Center. After a walk, speakers will include Loretta Cox Patterson, a kidney recipient, and Dr. Yolanda Byrd, a kidney donor. They will discuss the Wake Forest Baptist Health Abdominal Organ Transplant Program.

Other participants include the Dancing King and Queens, the Fraternity and Sorority Steppers, Triple Threat Dance and Charm, as well as plenty of health information vendors. Music will be provided by DJ Neak. The public is invited, especially former Salisbury-Rowan AAU and YBOA players, referees and friends.

Park Avenue Community Center is at 632 Park Ave.

Tom McDaniel, 61, works for Salisbury Parks and Recreation at Hall Gym and supports several programs, including pickleball, as part of his duties.

“The love of the program participants has been overwhelming,” he said. “I couldn’t ask for a better group. They bring me food and ask if I need anything. All are like family to me.”

“I have been here for 22 years, and he’s been around for longer than that,” said Steve Clark, McDaniel’s supervisor. “When those seniors see me here and not Tom, they are disappointed. All ages come in and ask, ‘What’s up, coach?’”

All this for a man who worked 29 years as an engineer for the railroad in a lower-paying job just so he could be close by for youth sports and carrying the chains at Salisbury High football games.

And for a couple that bought lots of uniforms and shoes for kids who couldn’t afford them.

“We already count all of this as a victory, and we know that every day without dialysis is more of God’s grace,” said Judy McDaniel. “Now we want to just spread the word and help each other.”

Contact Tom and Judy McDaniel at 704-637-1261 or tmcdaniel@carolina.rr.com.