Team Superman

By Fred Girscht, kidney/pancreas recipient

I am excited for the Dash for Donation! I’ll be running this race for the fourth year and it’s only possible because of my superhero: Rob.

I’ve always been diabetic and in 1999, I learned I would need a kidney/pancreas transplant. I waited about two years before the call came that a donor was found for me. Thanks to my donor, Rob, I came out of my transplant surgery with a second chance at life.

Since my transplant, I have been working hard to take care of the gift I’ve been given. I began seriously running in 2009 just because I could! I’ve run many 5K races, some half-marathons and am hoping to complete my first full marathon this fall.

It means a lot to me that I can run because of Rob!

I’ve had the pleasure of meeting my donor’s parents and they come to the Dash for Donation every year. They once showed me a picture of their son in a Superman shirt. It was fitting because Rob really was my hero, he saved my life. That’s why I’m organizing 25 friends and family members to join me on “Team Superman” to honor my donor.

I hope you’ll join me July 14 at the Dash for Donation in Downtown Columbus to pay tribute all of the heroes of donation.