South Philadelphia – It's a national donation life month and is personal to one local mom. She is a heart transplant recipient and is very grateful for the sweet soul that saved her life.
To celebrate, she is taking part in the gift of the Donner Dash 5-K of Life on Sunday.
What we know:
The 28th Annual Gift of Life Donor Dash is this Sunday at the Philadelphia Navy Yard, and this year marks its 50th anniversary of its nonprofit. In celebration, Gift of Life has set its goal to sign up to 50,000 new organ donors.
“We want a great announcement that we can hit those 50,000 milestones and really give hope to the 100,000 patients awaiting a second chance in their lives,” said Rick Hass, president and CEO of the Life Donor Program. “We expect the crowd to be close to 15,000. We look forward to having donor families, transplant recipients and health care providers. It's a real celebration of the donation and the transplant community to show the transplant work.”
Backstory:
Stacey Walsh, 49, will be signed up to run along the donor dash with 5,000 participants.
Walsh had a heart transplant in 2021 after suffering from stage 4 heart failure to live with the transposition of the great artery, a rare congenital heart defect.
“I was in the shower, brushing my teeth and eating was so difficult that I couldn't stand a simple daily task,” Walsh said. “What I know is [my donor] Very healthy and we were a perfect match for young girls. ”
Walsh said he understands the sadness of losing a child when he experienced the death of his five-month-old son Logan in 2007.
“His life was not in vain. He taught me how to fight, how to speak up, and how to give him a voice when he couldn't,” Walsh said.
Big View:
She is now bringing her on her journey, raising awareness about the importance of organ donation to family life everywhere.
“Take time to smell the flowers, talk to the kids and fall in love with your husband again. To travel.
What you can do:
click here Register to become an organ donor.
click here Participate in Donner Dash of Life this Sunday at the Philadelphia Navy Yard.
