LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nearly 4,000 deceased donor families and friends, transplant recipients and donation advocates touched by the power of organ, eye and tissue donation gathered last Saturday, April 27 at Azusa Pacific University to celebrate the gift of life during the 22nd Annual OneLegacy Run/Walk and Family Festival. More than 200 teams and over 20 exhibitors participated in this special event, which marked the culmination of Donate Life month. Dozens of hospitals, transplant centers, DMV offices, local cities and community partners joined OneLegacy during the month of April to honor the power of organ, eye and tissue donation.
The APU Campus was transformed with a memorial Circle of Life garden, featuring floral arrangements, fountains, a stunning heart-shaped centerpiece and hundreds of signs honoring those who gave the gift of life. A memorial bench and notepads completed the garden, where event participants dedicated special messages to their loved ones. Hundreds of signs adorned the garden, as well as the Run/Walk route, honoring those who gave the gift of life through organ, eye and tissue donation, as well as organ transplant recipients, grateful for the gift of life they received through the power of donation.
ABC 7 news anchor and living kidney donor, Phillip Palmer, hosted an emotional opening ceremony that featured the remarkable stories of donation and resilience from two OneLegacy Ambassadors. Award-winning singer, songwriter and speaker, Chloé Temtchine, gave a moving performance of her new song, “You Already Know” as hundreds of doves were released in memory of those who have given the gift of life to others. This is the second time that Chloé performs in public without the need of oxygen, after receiving a double lung transplant in 2020. The song’s lyrics share the immense gratitude that Chloé feels for her donor’s gift of life.
Special guest appearances included world renowned yoga instructor, Jonelle Lewis, who brought the flow with morning stretches and meditation, and CBS News Correspondent Danya Bacchus, who introduced two donor mothers. Trejo’s Music singers, Amoraa and Cota the Barber entertained the audience with their nostalgic rhythm and music. DJ Damage kept event attendees entertained during the Run/Walk and the Family Festival portion of the event. Amoraa also performed the national anthem, and Mariachi Alma de mi Tierra entertained event participants at the finish line with traditional mariachi songs. Assemblymember Blanca Rubio, Azusa Mayor Robert Gonzales and Donate Life California’s CEO, Jim Martin, shared special remarks during the opening ceremony.
All proceeds from the 22nd Annual OneLegacy Donate Life Run/Walk will benefit the OneLegacy Foundation’s public education programs, with the goal of inspiring local communities to donate life.
“Over the past 22 years, the OneLegacy Donate Life Run/Walk has inspired our local donor families and donation advocates to run or walk for a special purpose: sharing the importance of organ, eye and tissue donation,” said Tom Mone, Chief External Affairs Officer for OneLegacy. “We are incredibly grateful to welcome thousands of participants this year and to share this special celebration with our donor families, transplant recipients, living donors and our hospital and community partners.”
The event was organized and produced by the OneLegacy Foundation. “Our team takes pride in producing our annual Run/Walk to bring together thousands of people who are connected to the power of organ, eye and tissue donation,” said E’Tiffany Jones, Head of Production, Communications and Strategic Partnerships at OneLegacy. “We carefully curated and transformed Azusa Pacific University’s soccer field to offer an immersive and memorable experience for all Run/Walk participants.”
The 2024 OneLegacy Run/Walk included 1K and 5K run or walk routes, as well as a Family Festival with food trucks, raffles, children’s activities, vendors and more, and was made possible thanks to 16 sponsors, including Provide Sr. Joseph Health, Donate Life California, UCI Health, Cedars Sinai, Keck Medicine of USC, Solvita, Global Transplant Solutions, Specialist Direct, Walgreens, Research Includes Me, Max’s Mexican Cuisine, Universal Reprographics, Raising Cane’s, ThermoFisher Scientific, True Path Financial and UCLA Health.
About OneLegacy
OneLegacy is the nonprofit organization dedicated to saving lives through organ, eye and tissue donation in seven counties in Southern California: Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, Ventura, Santa Barbara and Kern. It serves more than 200 hospitals, 9 transplant centers, a diverse population of 20 million donors and families across the region and waiting recipients across the country. Becoming an eye, organ or tissue donor is easy and can be done by registering online at donateLIFEcalifornia.org/OneLegacy or by “checking YES” at your local DMV. For more information, visit OneLegacy.org
