Teaming Up for Donation – Ralph’s Racers
This Saturday, July 10, “Ralph’s Racers” will take to the streets of Columbus in the Dash for Donation to remember Ralph Komerofsky.
Ralph, a self-taught computer guru, was always a registered organ and tissue donor and even collaborated with scientists in Ireland to create a database matching organ donors to recipients, several years before donation touched his life.
In 2008, Ralph, from Akron, Ohio, began having swelling in his feet and legs and was diagnosed with non-alcoholic cirrhosis of the liver. He was told he would need a liver transplant to survive.
Family members stepped up to be living donors, offering to donate a portion of their liver to Ralph, but no viable options were found. He was added to the national transplant waiting list in June 2009.
As he waited, Ralph’s ammonia levels affected his cognitive function and he struggled but stayed hopeful. Unfortunately, a transplant didn’t come in time and after a year of waiting Ralph passed away on July 11, 2009.
Ralph’s daughter, Julie Remer, along with friends and family will walk for the second year in the Dash for Donation to remember Ralph and shed light on the need for organ and tissue donors. 18 men, women and children die every day in the U.S. while waiting for a transplant.
Please join “Ralph’s Racers” at the Dash for Donation Saturday and provide hope to the 108,098 Americans waiting for a transplant right now. There’s still time to register online or on-site on race day.