REALY WALK 2005 DEDICATION TO KATALINA AND GILDA

THROUGH ORGANS 'R' US, THE RELAY PROMOTES DONATION
The transfer of the baton from walker to walker symbolizes the transfer of an organ from donor to recipient. The 2005 Relay Walk is dedicated to one-year-old Katalina Thang who waits for a tiny donor and Gilda Vallente who waits for a kidney.

KATALINA WAITS FOR A HEART LUNG DONOR
Although you would never know it from her smile, two-year-old Katalina Thang from San Jose, CA has an unhappy heart. Katalina's short life began on January 5, 2004. By six months, she had endured three heart surgeries. In September 2004, doctors said Katalina would not survive six months without a transplant. Although Katalina has outlived all forecasts, her condition is deteriorating as she waits for the tiny donor that can save her. Team Dean Karnazes will dedicate his solo 350-mile run during The Relay and Raaj "Walkman" Gopal will dedicate his solo 128-mile walk during The Relay Walk to helping Katalina find a donor.

GILDA WAITS FOR A KIDNEY
In 2002, 35-year-old Gilda Vallente of Daly City, CA learned that her kidneys were failing. With nine hours of dialysis each night, Gilda's body runs a marathon daily to survive. Although she tires easily, Gilda and her husband, Raaj Gopal, work at Home Depot. To support his wife, Raaj ran on the Organs 'R' Us team (bib 1) during The Relay in 2003 and 2004. In 2005, Raaj will spread Gilda's message by walking 128 miles solo in The Relay Walk on team "One for 128."

ORGANS 'R' US RELAYS THE MESSAGE
by generating $25 million in publicity promoting donation through athletics. From 1997-2005, the Organs ‘R’ Us Kiddie Pede (ages 1-15) ran to victory in the Bay to Breakers and other events.

DISCUSS ORGAN DONATION WITH YOUR FAMILY
Seek per-mile pledges and ask your employer to match your entry fee with a tax-deductible donation to Organs ‘R’ Us, 501 (c) (3) Tax ID 94-3333306. Raise $6,000 (or donate an organ!) to enter a free team. Raise $1,000 in the Organs 'R' Us " Learn to Walk, Save a Life" program.

HELP SAVE 18 AMERICANS WHO DIE EVERYDAY WAITING FOR ORGANS
In the long run, organ donation saves lives.