Second Largest Relay Race in the U.S. Kicks Off in Calistoga
SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. 18 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- For the fourth
consecutive year, Palo Alto-based Organs 'R' Us and corporate sponsor
Providian Financial will team up to relay the word on the importance of organ
transplant donation. The Providian Relay (http://www.providianrelay.com) is
considered California's longest party. Racers traverse 199 miles of some of
the most beautiful and challenging terrain in California, beginning in the
Wine Country of Calistoga, and ending at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk.
Relay participants come from around the world, with many running to save the
life of a friend or a family member who is waiting for an organ transplant.
The Relay takes place this Saturday and Sunday, October 19-20, 2002.
What You Should Know About Organ Donation
-- More than 80,000 Americans are on a waiting list for a life-saving
transplant
-- Each day, it's estimated that approximately 17 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
"The Providian Relay is a great opportunity to help generate awareness for
organ donation -- an issue of national and critical importance," said
Providian Corporate Affairs Senior Vice President, Jim Wunderman. "This is
the fourth consecutive year that we have sponsored this race and the fourth
year that I have run with a Providian team. The enthusiasm of our employees,
whether running or volunteering at the race, is stronger than ever".
Racing to Save Lives
Runners on 12-member teams each run three relay legs, averaging five miles
per leg. They run day and night, with the light of the autumn sun and the
full moon guiding them through 36 cities and seven counties until they reach
the finish line at the beach in Santa Cruz. The transfer of a "baton" from
runner to runner at designated exchange points symbolizes the transfer of an
organ from donor to recipient.
Many of the teams have a personal mission -- to run in support of a
friend, a colleague or a family member. The "Miranda's Miles" relay team is
running for Miranda Ashland, an 8-year-old who received a new liver when she
was 6 months old. Miranda will greet her team at the finish line.
Team captain of the "San Francisco Frontrunners," Wilmer Pereira, age 28,
will not be running this year because he underwent a successful kidney
transplant on September 25, 2002. Wilmer, who ran in the 1999 New York
Marathon, will proudly welcome his team in Santa Cruz on Sunday.
"Team Dean," represented by one-man wonder, Dean Karnazes, dedicates his
fifth consecutive solo 199-mile run to 6-month-old David Mehran, who is in
dire need of a liver transplant.
"This year, the organ donation message is even more urgent because of
David Mehran's desperate need for a new liver," said Organs 'R' Us Director
Jeff Shapiro. "Normally, our focus would be on the 4,000 participants who are
running or volunteering at the Relay. This year, our attention is squarely on
Dean Karnazes and his solo race to help David get the transplant he urgently
needs," Shapiro said.
Race Dedications
Each year the Relay is dedicated to men and women and boys and girls who
either had been an organ recipient or were on a waiting list. This year's
Providian Relay is dedicated to Nicholas Green, whose parents donated his
organs in 1994 after he was killed while on vacation in Italy. Their decision
to donate Nicholas' organs saved the lives of seven people waiting for
transplants. September 29, 2002 marked the eighth anniversary of Nicholas'
death. The transplant recipients are all alive and well today, thanks to
"Nicholas' Gift," which is the name of a book written by the boy's father
Reg Green.
About Organs 'R' Us
Organs 'R' Us, a California nonprofit public benefit corporation, was
founded in San Francisco in 1996 and provides support to transplant
recipients, transplant candidates, family members and friends by promoting
organ donation through athletics. Through walking and running, this group
showcases their fitness proving that organ transplantation saves lives.
About Providian Financial
San Francisco-based Providian Financial is a leading provider of credit
cards and deposit products to customers throughout the U.S. One of America's
largest bankcard issuers, Providian has approximately $20 billion in managed
receivables and 13 million customer accounts.
Given the importance of organ donation, Providian has made awareness of
this issue a part of the Company's Providian Cares community giving program,
which awards grants each year to worthy organizations around the nation, in
communities where the Company's employees live and work.
SOURCE Providian Financial Corporation
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Related links:
http://www.providian.com
CONTACT:
Kristine Blegen of Providian Financial
Corporation, +1-415-278-4240, or on race days, +1-415-225-6031
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