Providian Relays the Word About Organ Donation

		PROVIDIAN FINANCIAL RELAY FOR ORGAN DONATION AWARENESS Dean "Team Dean" Karnazes sets off from the Golden Gate Bridge in the Providian relay. More than 3,000 runners, in teams of 12, run 199 miles from Calistoga, Calif. to Santa Cruz for organ donation awareness. Kanrazes, is running a total of 300 miles solo for the cause. He is dedicating his race to "Valera," a one-month old girl at Stanford University Medical Center, who is on life support awaiting a heart transplant. (PRNewsFoto)[RV] SAN FRANCISCO, CA USA

More Than 3,000 Participants in 199-mile Run to Save Lives SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. 10 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Providian Financial Corporation (NYSE: PVN) will kick off the annual Providian Relay (http://www.therelay.com) in the Bay Area Wine Country this weekend. As the title sponsor for the fifth year, Providian is supporting an issue of critical national importance -- the shortage of organ donors for life-saving transplants. (Photo: NewsCom: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20031010/SFF047 ) This year's roster includes six Providian teams. One, "Cruz Control," has dedicated its run to Dara Gritton, the sister of a Providian employee, who recently received a kidney. Dara, her sister, and her mother will be in Santa Cruz to welcome the Providian teams as they cross the finish line. "This event is a great opportunity for Providian employees to participate in an incredibly worthwhile cause," said Jim Wunderman, senior vice president of Public Policy for Providian. "This is the fifth year in a row that we have sponsored this race -- and so far it has been very successful in promoting organ donation awareness. We are very pleased to have so many employees participating again this year, whether as runners or as volunteers." The Providian Relay is the nation's second largest long-distance relay, attracting almost 300 teams of 12 runners from the US and Canada. The 199-mile course through 36 cities is divided into 36 segments and boasts the largest number of tourist destinations of any run. Running 3 legs of 3 to 8 miles, participants travel through Calistoga, Napa, Sonoma, Marin, Sausalito, across the Golden Gate Bridge at midnight under a full moon, through San Francisco and Silicon Valley to Santa Cruz. The transfer of the baton from runner to runner symbolizes the transfer of an organ from donor to recipient. The race is organized by Organs 'R' Us, which started the relay nine years ago. Through walking and running, this group showcases their fitness. "In the long run, organ donation saves lives," says Organs 'R' Us coach Jeff Shapiro. Currently, more than 83,000 Americans are on a waiting list for a life-saving transplant. Each day, it's estimated that approximately 18 people will die while waiting for an organ, according to the United Network for Organ Sharing. A single donor can save from five to seven lives. About Organs 'R' Us Organs 'R' Us, a California nonprofit public benefit corporation, was founded in San Francisco in 1996 and supports transplant recipients, candidates, family members, friends and donor families by promoting organ donation through athletics. Through walking and running, this group showcases their fitness proving that organ transplantation saves lives. About Providian San Francisco-based Providian Financial Corporation (http://www.providian.com) is a leading provider of credit cards to Middle American consumers throughout the United States. By combining experience, analysis, technology and outstanding customer service, Providian seeks to build long-lasting relationships with its customers by providing products and services that meet their evolving financial needs. One of America's largest bankcard issuers, Providian currently has over $7 billion in reported receivables and over $18 billion in managed receivables and more than 11 million customer relationships.