On 1 November 2026, Kurt Kelsall will run 21 kilometres through Auckland and across the Harbour Bridge in the Auckland Half Marathon. He's raising money for the Kidney Society, and he'll be doing it on one kidney. To understand why this race matters so much to him, you have to go back five years.
It started with a Facebook post from an old school friend.
In 2021, Kurt saw a post from a friend he'd known since kindergarten. His friend's wife, a primary school teacher, had caught strep from a child in her class. Her immune response overcompensated, triggering a kidney condition called IgA nephropathy, and by 2021 she was in renal failure. The family needed a living donor.
Kurt reached out off the back of the Facebook post, and the two old friends caught up over a beer. As they talked, Kurt learned more about what the family was facing, including that his friend was managing some health challenges of his own. Before they parted ways, Kurt had offered to be tested as a donor.
“I don’t have kids, but I have a strong respect for parents. They had two young daughters, and I thought it was better those girls had two parents who were functional than two who weren’t.”
Kurt's eligibility testing came back with good news, as well as a warning. He met the criteria and was able to donate, but his cholesterol and liver function results were elevated. “As is the normal Kiwi custom, I indulged in too much food and drink, then all those fun things that I'd gotten away with through my 20s and 30s caught up to me. That was a bit of a wake-up call.”
Working for AIA as an Automation Specialist, Kurt already had access to AIA Vitality. With help of the programme, he cut out drinking, changed his diet and started using the weekly targets to build more activity into his week. His partner, Sarah, was thrilled when the Woolworths vouchers started arriving too.
“AIA Vitality’s gamified platform works really well for someone with my personality. That little checklist gives me something to aim for.”
After his kidney removal surgery in September 2022, he picked up a discounted Garmin through AIA Vitality, paired it with ‘The Conqueror’ virtual challenges, and started racking up steps – and rewards.
“Exercise helped me most to get out of the slump I was in. I've become a lot more aware of how fragile health can be, and having the AIA Vitality programme has allowed me to explore that.”
On 1 November, he'll be at the start line of the Auckland Half Marathon, running for the Kidney Society. Last year, he raised around $3,000 for the charity by completing the Traverse across the Harbour Bridge.
“A year ago, an 11km run was a big deal for me. Not so much anymore, but 21km is still a reasonably big deal. For a 46-year-old with bad knees, it's not easy.”
His secret weapon is the free coaching plan on his Garmin, which he's followed religiously for 18 months. “It's like a little Jiminy Cricket. It interrupts my audiobook and tells me my pace is low or high, and to stay on track.”
Running on one kidney means paying extra attention to his body. He checked in with his specialist before ramping up his training, and proper hydration has become non-negotiable. Kurt now checks the AIA Vitality app three or four times a week, often towards the end of the week when he needs an extra run to hit his points target. On the days he doesn't feel like it, habit does the heavy lifting.
For Kurt, the race is a chance to raise awareness of a disease that often goes unnoticed until it's too late. “Your kidneys can be going backwards, and in a lot of cases, you won't know until something really bad happens. Kidney disease is really prominent in New Zealand – about one in 10 people will be affected at some point.”
His advice to anyone thinking about their health, or facing the decision about becoming a donor, is simple.
“We've only got the one body. Taking pre-emptive steps and controlling the little things that don't seem like big issues on their own - your blood pressure, your cholesterol - can do so much for everything else.”
AIA Vitality didn’t factor into the reason Kurt gave a kidney. But it gave him the tools, the rewards and the routine to look after the one he kept. It's a reminder that small, steady changes can carry you a long way, including 21 kilometres over the Harbour Bridge.
Support Kurt's fundraising at the Auckland Marathon for the Kidney Society
See Kurt's fundraising progress, training updates and personal reflections as he prepares to take on 21km for the Kidney Society.
