Thermo Fisher Scientific is partnering with One Legacy to promote organ donation and honor those who have saved lives through the gift of donation.

For the sixth consecutive year, the Transplant Diagnostics team will celebrate Donate Life Month by participating in the 2020 Donate Life Virtual Run/Walk, originally scheduled to take place on April 25 in Fullerton, California. Given the public health concerns around the COVID-19 outbreak, One Legacy has decided to make this year’s Run/Walk a virtual event. The Transplant Diagnostics team fully supports this decision and looks forward to fully support the event in a digital capacity.

“I really look forward to the Run/Walk every year. This will be my third time attending and I am always blown away by the transplant community,” said Walker Graft, PPI Business Specialist at the Transplant Diagnostics Division of Thermo Fisher Scientific.

Many of Walker’s colleagues are excited to once again contribute to support Donate Life and One Legacy, the non-profit behind the yearly 5K run/1K walk. “This event brings transplant awareness to the community and it is amazing that our company has a team that attends and supports the transplant community,” says Maricruz Ramirez, R&D Scientist.

Additionally, Angela Terrazas, a three-time kidney transplant recipient from the Los Angeles area, joined the event to speak on her patient experience. Angela suffered from kidney failure at an early age and had undergo dialysis from ages four to six years old. Her first transplant, which she received at age six, lasted until around the time she graduated high school. Unfortunately, she was forced to go back on dialysis right after graduation and remained on dialysis for next eight years.

Manufacturing Scientist Dayanna Amaya hopes that the team’s participating “brings One Legacy Foundation closer to reaching their vision, which is to fulfill the needs of all donor Families and all who are in need of an organ or cornea transplant.”

Even though transplant professionals, patients, and allies cannot meet in person this year, the Thermo Fisher team believes it is more important than ever to demonstrate how lives can be changed and saved when a community comes together for a good cause. As Mike Gradijan, Director of International Sales, puts it, “Awareness can lead to education and this knowledge can lead to taking action to help make a difference in improving the life of someone in need of a transplant.”

Thanks to all of you who helped us reach our fund raising goal!

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