RELAY WALK 2006 DEDICATION TO KATALINA AND GILDA

THROUGH ORGANS 'R' US ("ORU"), 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 and 2006 Relay Walks are dedicated to two-year-old Katalina Thang who waits for a tiny donor and Gilda Vallente who waited four years for a kidney.

KATALINA WAITS FOR A HEART LUNG DONOR
Although you would never know it from her smile, two-year-old Katalina Thang of San Jose (born January 5, 2004) has an unhappy heart. After enduring three heart surgeries, doctors said in September 2004 that Katalina would not survive six months without a transplant. After Team Dean Karnazes dedicated his solo 350-mile run during The 2005 Relay to her, Katalina was prepped to receive new organs but the lungs were found to be damaged. Captain Pat Bowling and the Sleepwalkers will travel 128 miles to help Katalina find the tiny donor that can save her.

GILDA'S BODY RAN A MARATHON DAILY TO SURVIVE
During four years of dialysis, Gilda Vallente of Daly City, CA and her husband, Raaj Gopal, continued working at Home Depot. After Raaj ran on team Organs 'R' Us during The 2003 and 2004 Relays, and walked 128 miles solo (31 hrs. 5 min.) during The 2005 Relay Walk, Gilda received two infant kidneys on February 5, 2006. Captain Raaj and team "One for 128" will compete in The Relay Walk 2006.

ORU RELAYS THE MESSAGE BY GENERATING $25 MILLION IN PUBLICITY
promoting donation through the Mercury News 10K, the San Francisco Marathon and The Relay. From 1997-2005, the ORU Kiddie Pede (ages 1-15) ran to victory in the Bay to Breakers.

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 ORU "Learn to Walk, Save a Life" program.

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