A MESSAGE FROM Michelle Petty for CKF NYC 2025
I am excited to be running this year's NYC Marathon for the Chris Klug Foundation (CKF)! The Chris Klug Foundation promotes lifesaving organ, eye, and tissue donation, and works to improve the quality of life for those touched by transplantation.
I am passionate about the mission of the Chris Klug Foundation.
In July 2020, I donated my left kidney in a non-directed donation at UCSD in La Jolla, CA. I am a proud member of Kidney Donor Athletes, an organization that promotes organ donation awareness through showcasing donors' athletic endeavors post donation. I am also a volunteer for Nevada Donor Network and founding member of the One Kidney Club Las Vegas. Through these organizations I've met so many people who have been/are currently on the wait list or support loved ones who are waiting for a kidney. Their strength inspires me every day, and I will continue to advocate for them for the rest of my life.
There are over 100,000 people on the wait list for a needed organ, with the majority of these people (around 92,000) needing a kidney. The average wait time for a kidney is over three years. Eleven people die each day waiting for a kidney.
I have been an athlete since I could walk, playing 9 different sports throughout my life. An active lifestyle has always been a priority to me, even when not in a sport season. In 2020, I found a love for distance running. After my surgery, I picked running back up very casually. Last year, I decided to ramp up my efforts and begin racing, completing the 7.02 race in the inaugural Las Vegas Marathon in November 2024. I completed the Yosemite Half Marathon in May 2025 and am so excited to run my very first Marathon in New York City- a city I've always wanted to visit.
Outside of athletics, I enjoy spending time with my husband, our four cats, and our dog. I am often found at rock & metal concerts, taking my motorcycle out for a scenic ride, cheering on the Las Vegas Golden Knights or LA Chargers, and traveling with my loved ones. I am a Las Vegas native and UNLV alum, graduating with my bachelor's in 2015 and my master's in 2018. I am proud to be a current UNLV employee - Go Rebels!
I am so thankful for the support and encouragement I have received from friends, loved ones, and even people I haven't had the pleasure of meeting. If you've read this far, thank you so much for taking the time to learn about my fundraising efforts and the Chris Klug Foundation's incredible mission. I run in honor of those waiting for an organ, those who have given the ultimate gift of organ donation, and those who died waiting for transplant. I run to eliminate the wait.
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