Donor Dash Evolves Over 25 Years from First Dash Held on Y2K

DENVER – July 21, 2024 – Donor Alliance’s first Donor Dash was held on a chilly New Year’s Day in 2000 on the streets of LoDo. This morning, more than five thousand people made the trek to Denver’s Washington Park, where the Donor Dash is now held 25 years later. Donor Alliance, the nonprofit organization that facilitates organ and tissue donation for transplantation in Colorado and most of Wyoming, holds its 5K run/walk annually to honor heroic donors and their families who have given the gift of life, celebrate alongside transplant recipients, and recognize the nearly 1,300 Coloradans who continue to wait for a lifesaving organ transplant.

“I am humbled to recognize 25 years of one of the most meaningful events in Colorado,” said Jennifer Prinz, president and CEO, of Donor Alliance. “Together we have evolved into a community for organ and tissue donation emphasizing our collective commitment to being ‘Rocky Mountain Strong’. I extend a huge thank you to the nearly 70,000 people from 46 states across the country who have participated in Donor Dash over the last 25 years.”

This year’s Donor Dash held special significance for Colorado Springs-born Thomas Williams and his family. They traveled back to Colorado from Tennessee to participate in the 25^th annual Donor Dash. The 25-year-old received his lifesaving heart transplant in Colorado when he was just six months old. Thomas celebrated his 25^th “heart-iversary” at the event with his transplant care team. He last attended the Donor Dash when he was just four years old and was excited to come “home” to share his story about how he was given a second chance at life.

“In the last 25 years, I’ve been able to graduate high school. I went on to college and got to play baseball and be a pitcher at a small university,” Thomas said. “Words can’t really describe the immense gratitude I have for my donor and their family. I’m forever thankful and humbly in their debt for being able to help someone like me.”

Organ and tissue donation saves and heals lives, providing people like Thomas with a beacon of hope. Last year alone, 307 heroic organ donors across the Rocky Mountain region provided 918 lifesaving organ transplants. Also last year, 1,703 tissue donors in Colorado and Wyoming provided hope to tens of thousands of people suffering from injury, disease, trauma or blindness.

One person can save up to eight lives through organ donation and save and heal up to 75 lives through tissue donation. Coloradans can check the box and say Yes to register as an organ and tissue donor at the DMV or online at DonorAlliance.org. The little heart with the Y on a driver license or state ID, means a person is on the Donate Life Colorado registry.

About Donor Alliance

Donor Alliance is a non-profit organization dedicated to saving and healing lives through organ and tissue donation for transplantation in Colorado and most of Wyoming. As a federally designated organ procurement organization – one of 56 in the U.S. – Donor Alliance serves more than 6.3 million residents and more than 100 hospitals. Donor Alliance walks alongside the family during the organ recovery process and ensures their loved one’s gifts are safely received at transplant centers in a timely manner. Donor Alliance also facilitates tissue donation to save and heal more lives across our community. The organization also manages the Donate Life Colorado and Donate Life Wyoming registries. Through Donate Life, the symbol of the cause, Donor Alliance educates residents on the lifesaving benefits of donation, inspiring them to register. For more information, please visit DonorAlliance.org.

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