FIND A PATIENT
Running For Life!
02/06/2006
News
NTAF patient David Hillen's 5K Walk/Run was getting off to a slow start.
Hillen's wife Karen organized an event for October at a local high school in their Columbia, Maryland community. Much to her dismay, the initial response to the event was not what she had hoped.
Thankfully, a person at the school -- where the Hillen's son is a student and is on the football team -- made the connection and realized for whom the event was being given.
Fifty young men from the football, cross-country and soccer teams ultimately ran in the event, bringing in "tons of money," said Karen.
The event attracted 112 participants that day and raised $4,000, all in the pouring rain. Local merchants also pitched in, donating many items for the day, including bottled water, bagels and bananas.
Every runner got a green bag containing organ donor awareness information, candy, a breakfast bar and gloves onto which Karen had stenciled "Donate Life." The gloves came in handy as it was very cold and rainy.
The family got such a tremendous feeling from the event that Karen says she wants to hold this run every year. If her husband no longer needs the money she will donate proceeds to NTAF for other transplant patients
Karen was moved by the outpouring of support, saying: "I have always believed in angels, just did not know how many were on our side!"
