Gift of Life MOTTEP hosted its 26th annual LIFEWalk/Run event on July 22 on Belle Isle in Detroit. The event included a 5K walk and run, and a 10K run. The theme for the event was “Putting our Heart in Every Step.” Gift of Life was focused on being a health resource in the heart of the community, as well as promoting the message of getting a heart on your driver’s license as a registered organ donor.
“This is about celebrating transformed lives,” said Remonia Chapman, director of Public Education and Community Relations for Gift of Life Michigan and director of the Detroit MOTTEP Foundation.
Three-year-old Benjamin McClendon received an award for being the youngest transplant recipient at the event – and one of Michigan’s youngest organ transplant recipients. “Big Ben,” as the staff at Children’s Hospital of Michigan call him, was only a few months old when he received a new heart three years ago. On Saturday Benjamin’s parents borrowed a stethoscope and listened to his new heart beating strongly in his chest.
“We’re happy to support organizations like Gift of Life MOTTEP, which is doing fantastic work in the community,” said Mark Pepper, president & CEO of michigan humano (a partner for this year’s event). “The word ‘humane’ can extend itself into the lives of people. It’s not limited to animals. We both honor life in all ways.”
Dorrie Dils, president and CEO of Gift of Life Michigan, agreed. “Gift of Life’s mission is to honor life through donation, which means to honor all life, to be inclusive of all, and to compassionately support one another,” she said.
La caminata/carrera también comienza Mes Nacional de Concientización sobre los Donantes de las Minorías in August, which highlights the need for organ and tissue donors in multicultural populations. More than half the men, women and children waiting for a life-saving organ transplant are people of color. Yet traditionally, people in multicultural communities are less likely to sign up as donors.
Partnering organizations included: Henry Ford Health System, Michigan Medicine, the National Kidney Foundation of Michigan, and Ascension Health. Each is helping promote the message of organ and tissue donation, along with health and wellness. Other partners were Michigan Humane, Canine to Five, Ainsley’s Angels and the Michigan Department of Natural Resources.
En Michigan, sobre 2.400 personas están esperando por un nuevo órgano; de ellos, aproximadamente la mitad son de ascendencia afroamericana, latina o árabe americana.
Más que 100,000 people are waiting for an organ transplant in the U.S. and more than 60% represent racial and ethnic minorities.
Dils said that this fact is another reminder for everyone to “Check Your Heart.”
“Estamos pidiendo a todos que saquen su licencia o identificación estatal y busquen el corazón del donante en la esquina. Si ya lo ha hecho, se lo agradecemos”, dijo. “Si no lo has hecho, te estamos pidiendo que mires dentro de ti mismo, que Revisa tu corazón and sign up. There’s no reason why anyone today needs to wait for a life-saving organ transplant.”
5K and 10K race results are now posted.
For more information on LIFE Walk, visit detroitmottepfoundation.org.
Para agregar su nombre al Registro de Donantes de Órganos de Michigan, visite golm.org/registrar.
