I’m excited to share that I’ll be running this year’s NYC Marathon for the Chris Klug Foundation (CKF). CKF works to decrease the wait for a transplant by inspiring and educating people to register as organ donors and by raising awareness about organ donation.

Organ transplantation is often the only life-saving treatment for patients with end-stage organ failure. For many people with severe heart, liver, lung, or kidney disease, a transplant is the only option to survive. Unfortunately, there are far more people waiting for organs than there are organs available, and thousands of people worldwide die each year while waiting for a transplant.

This cause is also closely connected to my own work. Over a year ago, I moved to Boston to start my PhD at the Center for Engineering in Medicine & Surgery, where our research focuses on improving organ and tissue transplantation by extending preservation time and improving outcomes after transplant.

By running the NYC Marathon, I hope to support this mission outside the lab as well. The Chris Klug Foundation plays an important role in raising awareness about organ donation and encouraging more people to register as donors.

If you’re able to contribute, every donation helps support CKF and its mission to save lives through organ donation. Thank you so much for your support!

For my European friends: if donating through the page doesn’t work, you can always send me a message and donate through my Dutch bank account. I will transfer the donation to the fundraising page!