Family fun run highlights organ donation at Camden Yards

The Donate Life Family Fun Run at Baltimore's Camden Yards brought donor families, transplant recipients, waitlist candidates and supporters together to benefit Infinite Legacy; organizers and participants honored donors like Demetrias “Dewey” Waters, whose organ gifts were reported as saving four lives.

The Donate Life Family Fun Run took place Saturday at Camden Yards in Baltimore. The event celebrates organ, eye, and tissue donation and benefits Infinite Legacy's outreach, education and donor family aftercare. Now in its 18th year, the event brings together donor families, transplant recipients, waitlist candidates, living donors, hospital partners and other supporters. Family members and recipients attended to honor donors and to raise awareness about transplantation. Key facts: - The Donate Life Family Fun Run was held at Camden Yards to raise awareness and to benefit Infinite Legacy's outreach, education, and donor family aftercare. - Infinite Legacy said the event draws donor families, transplant recipients, waitlist candidates, living donors and hospital partners, and this year marked the organization's 18th run. - Demetrias "Dewey" Waters, who died after a car accident in April 2024, was honored at the event; his family said he donated both kidneys, his pancreas, his heart and his liver, which were reported as saving four lives. - Family members described how Waters chose to register as a donor as a teenager, and relatives ran in his memory at the event. - There are about 4,000 people in Maryland, Northern Virginia, and Washington, D.C. waiting for a lifesaving organ transplant; one donor can save up to eight lives and heal up to 75 more through tissue and cornea donation. Summary: The run combined remembrance with public education and gave families a chance to mark donors' choices while transplant recipients celebrated improved health. Organ donation remains a significant regional need, with about 4,000 people waiting for transplants. Undetermined at this time.