Hey! Catherine here. I am super passionate about organ donation as I am a transplant survivor! I received a liver from a living donor - my sister Colleen- in February 2022.

Here's a quick take on my story... After living with a rare, autoimmune liver disease (PSC) that attacks the bile ducts for 20+ years, I was diagnosed with cholangiocarcinoma, a rare, highly deadly cancer of the bile ducts...not once but twice. The first time I was able to have a resection surgery to remove the majority of my liver and, with it, the cancer. But since I still had PSC, I got a new cholangiocarcinoma just 2 years later which was far worse. This time my only option was a full liver transplant followed by chemotherapy. I did not have the ability to wait on the transplant list for a deceased donor, so a living donor was my only option. I was fortunate my sister was a match and we both had successful surgeries.

The 5K Celebration of Life is SOOO important because it raises awareness about the importance of organ & tissue donation....which will truly help save lives. And we need your support!

Please join our team on Sunday, June 8 in New Providence or make a contribution to a team member to get us one step closer to our fundraising goal.

Here's the bigger picture...Over 100,000 people in the United States are waiting for a life-saving transplant and nearly 4,000 live right here in New Jersey. Tens of thousands more need life-enhancing tissue or cornea transplants each year. One organ and tissue donor can save 8 lives and enhance the lives of over 75 others. But the waiting list is long and for many, organ and tissue donation can mean the difference between life and death. Your support brings us one step closer to providing the greatest gift of all… the gift of life.

Thank you for joining us to honor those who gave, pay tribute to those who received, offer hope to those who continue to wait, and remember the lives lost while waiting for the gift of life.