Darlington School will host the One Kid! One Kidney! 5K and 1-Mile Fun Run on Saturday, April 27, at 9 a.m. in honor of sophomore Gabrielle Culberson, a Cartersville-area day student who is in need of a lifesaving kidney transplant. Proceeds from the race will benefit the Children's Organ Transplant Association, which assists families with transplant-related expenses.
"Our 'normal' was brought to an abrupt halt on December 19, 2022," said Rayan Hart-Culberson, Gabrielle's mother. "It was a Monday afternoon in New Orleans. Gabrielle and I were getting ready to see to see her favorite band in concert when the phone rang. It was her doctor from Children's Health Care of Atlanta asking if we could return home and head to the hospital. To say it shook me to the core would be an understatement. We headed out the next morning and drove straight to the hospital. They admitted her and performed a kidney biopsy. It was at that point they told us she had rapidly declined, was in kidney failure and had End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD). The next few months were a blur from hospital stays and surgeries."
Gabrielle is currently receiving regular dialysis treatments, seven days a week, nine hours a night. A transplant would offer her more freedom and the ability to live a longer, healthier, more normal life. Once Gabrielle receives her transplant, she will be on immunosuppressant medication for the rest of her life so that her body does not reject the kidney. She will continue to endure doctor visits, blood work, scans, and other tests to make sure her kidney continues to function properly.
"We want to encourage everyone to support our Inaugural One Kid! One Kidney! 5K and 1-Mile Fun Run," said Rayan. "Every dollar raised will assist with transplant-related expenses. Our family has asked for assistance from the Children’s Organ Transplant Association (COTA), a national charity based in Bloomington, Ind. COTA is dedicated to organizing and guiding communities in raising funds for transplant-related expenses. COTA’s services are completely free of charge, and 100% of funds generated by COTA community fundraising campaigns are used for transplant-related expenses."
Registration Information:
*$30 Pre-Race Registration (through April 21)
*$20 Fun Run Registration (through April 21)
*$35 Race Day Registration Fee
Register before April 21 to guarantee lower rates and your T-shirt size. Packet pick-up will be Friday, April 26, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at GoGo Running in Rome, located at 1018 Martha Berry Blvd. NE, Rome, GA 30165
Click here to register and read more about the race and route, which is a mix of trail and track.
You can also click here to visit Gabrielle's blog and read more about her experience.
