Dear friends and family,

I am teaming up with Donor Network West to raise awareness about the need for organ, eye, and tissue donation at the 10th annual Donate Life Run/Walk! This event will celebrate those touched by donation and honor the donors who have given the gift of life.

Two wonderful people in my life have gotten a second chance at life by receiving the priceless gift of a transplant.

My Aunt Eileen received a pair of lungs this spring, allowing her to continue being a witty, warm, and wondrous human being. Lilian, one of my best friends from grad school, was given the priceless gift of a new heart this February after her cardiomyopathy progressed to heart failure. She not only preserved through grad school, but also through all of the health complications. Her donor's heart went to one of the best-hearted, scrappiest people I know.

Lilian set up a team to run a 5k to honor organ donors and support organ and tissue donor awareness. As part of her recovery she has been building up to running and jogging again. I’m happy to be part of her team, cheering on as she meets more milestones and getting back into running myself. Running to support organ donors and recipients is an honor, with personal roots for me.

Funds raised from the Run/Walk help provide education on organ, eye, and tissue donation through community outreach, research, clinical events and our annual Donor Family Ceremonies. Each person touched by Donor Network West’s public education campaigns, who then registers as a donor, has the potential of saving 8 lives through organ donation and improving another 75 lives through tissue donation.

It’s easy to make a difference – just click the button to the right to make a donation or join my team! This is a virtual walk/run 5k/10k, so you can join in every way, every place -- walk, run, treadmill, hike -- it's up to you. Donor Network West is a nonprofit Donate Life organization, and accredited member of the Association of Organ Procurement Organizations (AOPO), the American Association of Tissue Banks (AATB), and the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS). Your support will help over 11,000 people waiting for a life-saving transplant in Northern California and Northern Nevada.

I hope you will join me in building a future where all those waiting for a transplant receive their second chance at life.

Thank you so much,

Sarah