Honoring organ donors and inspiring hope for those waiting for transplants, the Fresno Stride for Hope Run/Walk returns Saturday, Sept. 20

The Central Valley community is invited to join the 5K fundraiser to enhance essential programs and services for organ donor families and transplant recipients.

FRESNO, Calif., Sept. 19, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Returning to Fresno, California for its second year, Donor Network West Foundation's Annual Stride for Hope Run/Walk invites participants to raise funds to support the organ donation community. Organ donor families, transplant recipients, living donors, hospital partners and supporters will complete a 5-kilometer route starting at 7:30 a.m., Saturday, Sept. 20 at Shakespeare Field in Woodward Park, located at 7775 N. Friant Road in Fresno, California. Community members are invited to create teams or join as individual participants by registering online at DonorNetworkWest.org/5k-run-walk.

Each step taken during the 2025 Fresno Stride for Hope event contributes to enhancing resources for donor families, transplant recipients, research and education initiatives. This year's event will honor and celebrate the legacies of several organ donors, including Patrice Sanders, an organ donor hero whose kidneys were donated to help people on the national transplant waiting list. Patrice was a pediatric nurse at Valley Children's Hospital where she cared for patients and their families for more than 36 years. She suffered a stroke in 2024 and her health declined. She made her final wish clear to her family––she wanted to help others through organ donation.

Paige will lead Team Patrice to honor her memory and legacy of giving at the Fresno Run/Walk. Team Patrice is joined by 15 other teams, including Team DaVita Kidney Care. As a dialysis service caring for patients with kidney failure, 86 DaVita Kidney Care team members are joining the event and will make up the largest team in attendance.

Presented by Blue Skies Transplant, the Fresno Run/Walk will feature nearly 300 participants and several business sponsors. Donor Network West President and CEO Janice Whaley, PhD.; former NFL San Francisco 49er and Donor Network West Foundation Executive Director William "Bubba" Paris; California State Assemblymember Dr. Joaquin Arambula; and the chief of staff from the office of U.S. Rep. Jim Costa will speak at the event. Speakers will highlight the importance of supporting donor families and transplant recipients through community-driven events like this one.

"Bringing the Stride for Hope event to the Fresno community last year was an inspiring success," said Whaley. "We are proud to continue the tradition of bringing people together to recognize the impact of organ, eye and tissue donation. The run/walk events are a celebration of hope and remembrance for patients and their loved ones who are impacted by organ donation."

The Donor Network West Foundation holds two Stride for Hope events each year—one in Fresno and one in San Ramon, California. Through events like these, the Foundation bolsters healing and restorative services for those impacted by organ donation. Every step taken at the run/walk will be made with purpose, providing hope for the more than 100,000 people nationwide waiting for a life-saving transplant.

Those interested in learning more about organ donation or in joining the registry can visit DonorNetworkWest.org.

Media note: Please contact E'Tiffany Jones, [email protected], 510-427-0371, to speak with Paige Sanders and/or a Donor Network West spokesperson at the event. A 2024 Fresno Run/Walk video is available here.

About Donor Network West and the Donor Network West Foundation     
Donor Network West saves and heals lives by facilitating organ and tissue recovery for transplantation and research. Established in 1987, Donor Network West is designated and certified by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, accredited by the American Association of Tissue Banks (AATB), is a member of the Organ Donation Alliance and is an official Donate Life organization. Donor Network West is federally designated to serve 45 counties in northern California and northern Nevada, Donor Network West partners with the Department of Motor Vehicles and the state-authorized donor registries to help increase donor registration.

Donor Network West Foundation was created in 2023 to amplify the work of Donor Network West. The Foundation's mission is to support donor families and transplant recipients, to fund clinical innovation and research, and to educate our communities about the power of organ and tissue donation. For more information or to make a contribution, visit DonorNetworkWest.org/Foundation and follow us on social media: @mydnwest.     

MEDIA CONTACTS

• E'Tiffany Jones, Vice President of Marketing and Communications, Donor Network West
  [email protected]
  510-427-0371
• Jena Esposito, APR, KPS3
  [email protected]
  702-513-0606

SOURCE Donor Network West Foundation