The Shad Ireland Music Initiative

Spanning the nation with a focus on thirty major cities, the Shad Ireland Foundation: Music Initiative Documentary is the project chosen to follow the growth of a program dedicated to educating the public on the leading causes of Kidney Disease; Obesity, High Blood Pressure, and Diabetes, through a medium that reaches the masses universally.

Music.

Music has the ability to educate, inspire, and unite.  This why the Shad Ireland Foundation has developed a multimedia approach to deliver a critical message of education, prevention, access, and awareness.  Through the strategic partnerships of musicians, athletes, and corporations alike, the foundation will create an unprecedented concert like experience coupled with the opportunity to inform.    

How will one unique movement impact a nation devastated by a disease it faces daily, but has yet to fully understand? How will the cooperation of dozens of artists affect the communities they have chosen to serve?  and...How will a year of positive outreach affect the artists themselves?  

It is the goal of the Music Initiative project to document the course of the program built to save hundreds of thousands of predisposed individuals.  It will expose how such an effort will affect the character of each musician as they realize the impact of their reach.   And most importantly, this film will become a beacon for the renal community and testament to what basic education and few simple changes in our outlook can do... to save lives.

We invite you to become part of an historical series of events and a real commitment to giving back.

The Comeback

Production of "The Comeback" was made possible by a partial Grant from Amgen's Medical Education Department:

Amgen’s Medical Education Department

Shad Ireland is the only kidney dialysis patient in the world to ever compete in and complete an Ironman triathlon. In  2003, weighing a mere 90lbs, and having to connect to a dialysis machine every other day in order to survive, Shad was told that it was impossible to attempt such an endeavor. A year later he made history by completing Ironman Lake Placid. Since then he has completed 20 triathlons and a 4639-mile ride across America.  Shad has always dreamed of racing the world famous Ironman World Championship race in Kona Hawaii. Still receiving dialysis treatments every other day in order to survive and with dreams of Hawaii on his mind he has set his sights on coming back to Ironman- During a recent TV interview Shad said, “ The Comeback means so much more to me than the fulfillment of a personal dream. I am racing for my community. To show others who face challenges that an individual inspired can accomplish anything! I will lead by setting the example- If not me then who?”


Shad’s Official Race Season for The Comeback
Ironman Disney- May 16th, 2010
Lifetime Fitness Triathlon Minneapolis- July 10th, 2010
Ironman Canada- Aug 29th, 2010
Ironman Arizona- Nov 21st, 2010