Philadelphia, PA – The Philadelphia region showed its strong support for life-saving organ donation this April, National Donate Life Month. The 25th Anniversary Gift of Life Donor Dash raised awareness and funds for thousands of children and adults in our area waiting for a second chance at life. Approximately 10,000 people from throughout our region joined together to run, walk, volunteer or cheer for participants on Sunday, April 24.
The Dash raised nearly $500,000 to support organ and tissue donation community outreach, research, and patient programs and services. Individuals who missed the Dash, but still want to donate may visit donordash.org.
On average, 20 people die each day in the United States while waiting for a life-saving organ transplant. about 5,000 people are waiting for a transplant in Gift of Life’s region, which includes the eastern half Pennsylvania, southern New Jersey and Delaware.
The Donor Dash was founded in 1996 to raise awareness about this critical need, and to increase the number of registered organ and tissue donors. Dash continued as a virtual event the past two years and included participants in 37 states. More than a quarter of a million people have taken part in Donor Dash since its founding and the life-saving message of Dash has reached millions more through media coverage and community participation.
“We are so grateful to the thousands of Dashers who returned for our first in-person event since 2019. It was a beautiful day to celebrate the power of donation and enjoy the inspiring camaraderie of our Gift of Life community. Thank you to all who participated to support families waiting for a life-saving organ transplant, and to honor donor heroes who gave so many a second chance at life,” said Rick Hasz, President and CEO of the Gift of Life Donor Program. “I urge everyone to make the compassionate decision to register to become an organ and tissue donor at donors1.org.”
The 25th Anniversary Donor Dash offered activities for all ages and fitness levels including a 10K Run, a 5K Run, a 3K Walk and a Kids Fun Run. The Dash began at the Philadelphia Museum of Art and continued along Kelly Drive.
The Dash has grown from hundreds to thousands of participants over the past quarter century. The event began through volunteer Claire Braverman’s wish to honor her husband, Mickey, who passed away while waiting for a liver transplant, and to raise public awareness of the importance of organ donation.
The Dash would not be possible without generous support from its sponsors:
- Presenting Sponsor:
- Community Tissue Services and Gallagher Benefit Services
- Platinum Sponsors:
- MTF Biologics
- Diamond Sponsors:
- Temple Health and Venture Jets
- Silver Sponsors
- Quick Courier Service Inc.
- Bronze Sponsors:
- AmeriHealth Caritas, Bridge to Life, Care Dx, Einstein Healthcare Network, Penn Transplant Institute, Veloxis Pharmaceuticals Inc.
- Supporting Sponsors:
- ChristianaCare Kidney Transplant Program, Cornerstone Institutional Investors, Inc., CSL Behring, CTI Clinical Trial & Consulting, Eurofins Donor & Product Testing, Gillespie Electric, Organ Recovery Systems, Penn State Health
- Patron Sponsors
- Artivion, Inc., Cohen, Placitella & Roth, P.C., LifeNet, Main Line Health, Sanofi, Sovereign Insurance Group
- Underwriting Sponsors
- Penn Transplant Institute (Finisher Medal), The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (Kids Fun Run), Nationwide Organ Recovery Transport Alliance “NORA” (Backpack), Lions Eye Bank of Delaware Valley (Virtual Takeover)
About Gift of Life Donor Program
Gift of Life Donor Program is the non-profit, federally designated organ procurement organization, working with 129 acute care hospitals and 14 transplant centers to serve 11.3 million people in the eastern half of Pennsylvania, southern New Jersey, and Delaware. Thanks to its compassionate community, for the past 14 years, Gift of Life has coordinated the most organ donors in the United States. Its annual donation rate, most recently 62 organ donors-per-million-population, ranks among the highest in the world. Since 1974, Gift of Life has coordinated more than 55,000 organs for transplant, and more than two million tissue transplants have resulted from the generosity of donors and their families. One organ donor can save the lives of up to eight people, and a tissue donor can improve the lives of about 100 others. For more information or to register, visit donors1.org.