Donate Life Run/Walk Festival

On September 24, 2008, I had a heart transplant, even before I left the hospital, I resolved to participate in the 2009 Donate Life Run/​Walk benefiting the Donate Life California Organ and Tissue Donor Registry. Without people registering to donate their organs in the case of their untimely passing, I would not be alive — or at the very least, I would still be in the hospital attached to a machine that I could never be separated from. Instead on a sunny Saturday April 25thm I walked to 5k with a few of my closest friend (Including fellow Unilocalers Ericka L. and Corazon R.).
The 5k is a loop that wanders around the CSU-​Fullerton campus, through botanical gardens, and back to area where Donate Life has a festival setup. The festival consists dozens of booth run by different businesses and organizations associated with transplants and organ donation. It included a small food court and after the walk the event had free food including hot dogs, salads and other assorted foods. Entertainment was an array of D-​list celebrities and radio DJs including Chekezie (of American Idol), Al. B. Sure, one of the Kardashians, and DJs from Kiis-​FM (Uggh). Yeah, not something I really cared to stick around for.
Being a organ recipient, I noticed that the event was more geared toward donor families, which is understandable. Still I’d hope to see more recipients out there, seeing only a dozen or so wearing the green recipient beads, out of 5000+ people. It can be hard thing — after receiving an organ, there can be lots of complications — I’ve been very lucky.
In the end, I had a great walk; I was able to finish it without getting too tired, which is an accomplishment after what I’d been through. The weather and company where great, and before hand, I managed to raise $ 2,585 dollars to support organ and tissue donor registry. If you like to register to be an organ donor, please go here: