Team of 200 to Honor 5-year-old Tissue Donor at Fort Wayne 5k
August 24, 2018
FORT WAYNE, IN – On Saturday, August 25, 2018, Indiana Donor Network Foundation will host its 6th annual Fort Wayne 5k. This year, the event will be attended by a team of about 200 people honoring 5-year-old Lauren Clark, who died unexpectedly on March 20, 2018 and gave the gift of life as a tissue donor. This is the largest team of 5k participants in Indiana Donor Network history.
Lauren’s parents, Jennifer and Aaron Clark, told Indiana Donor Network they made the decision to donate because Lauren would have wanted to help others. “For us, we loved the idea of Lauren’s heart, which symbolizes her love, spreading to other people. Lauren loved to help people as much as she could, so we knew she would want to help people with the gift of life as well. Without hesitating, we said, ‘Yes.’” Lauren was in preschool at Sonrise Christian Preschool and loved swimming, dancing and skiing.
Lauren and Jennifer attended last year’s Fort Wayne 5k to honor a family friend who was a transplant recipient. Jennifer told Indiana Donor Network, “Little did we know that we would be here this year honoring Lauren.”
The event will celebrate life, honor organ and tissue donors like Lauren, and spread awareness about the importance of organ and tissue donation. Nationwide, there are approximately 115,000 men, women and children awaiting a lifesaving organ transplantation. On average, 22 of those patients die each day because the organ they needed did not become available in time.
Media are encouraged to attend this event and RSVP to Mark Back at mback@INDonorNetwork.org. Jennifer and Aaron Clark will be available for interviews. The Clark family respectfully asks that media refrain from questions related to Lauren’s death and instead focus on her life, and gift of life.
Event Details
Who: Jennifer and Aaron Clark and Indiana Donor Network Foundation
What: Indiana Donor Network Foundation Fort Wayne 5k
When: Saturday, August 25, 2018, at 8:00 am
Where: Purdue University Fort Wayne Gates Athletic Center (park in Garage 3)
Agenda: 8:00 am Registration opens
8:40 am Remarks by special guests and Indiana Donor Network
9:00 am Race begins
10:30 am Presentation of awards
11:00 am Event concludes
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About Indiana Donor Network
As a leading organ recovery organization, Indiana Donor Network is committed to saving lives through organ, eye and tissue donation and transplantation. Our team of over 150 dedicated professionals is a vital link between donors and their families and the 115,000 men, women and children currently awaiting a life-saving organ transplant. We champion the cause through education, support donor families in their time of need and work closely with Indiana hospitals, coroners and funeral directors to coordinate the donation process. For more information or to register your decision to donate, please visit IndianaDonorNetwork.org.
