We hit a home run for donation at Donate Life Day at the Diamondbacks! On Sunday, April 30, more than 700 guests joined us in their green Donate Life T-shirts at Chase Field to celebrate organ and tissue donation.

Donate Life Arizona staff and volunteers were joined by volunteers from Maricopa Integrated Health System at a registration table during the game. Those who registered or reaffirmed their decision to be organ, cornea and tissue donors at the game proudly sported blue Donate Life hats.

Before the D-backs faced the Colorado Rockies, families of Calvin Mosman, Christopher Jagodzinski, and Roman Fuentes-McCaa honored their loved ones’ generosity and strength on the field. Recipients Hank Rausch, Robert Fowler and Larry Fowler joined the families on the field to be recognized on the Jumbotron.

Ashley Foster, two-time intestine and pancreas recipient, kicked off the game with the first pitch. To honor recipients and donors, Ashley decorated her Donate Life shirt with the names of those who have been touched by donation. She was thrilled to represent the transplant community and to fulfill her lifelong dream of throwing the first pitch at a Diamondbacks game.

Back in the stands, the Donate Life section was a sea of enthusiastic supporters of organ and tissue donation. People were cheering on the team and holding posters encouraging other D-backs fans to come register while Larry and Robert Fowler, heart recipients and twins, were interviewed by Fox Sports. “I am incredibly thankful to my donor family, and I hope to meet them someday and personally thank them for this meaningful gift,” says Larry.

Donate Life Arizona also joined in the fun during several of the activities between innings. Even three of the youngest Donate Life fans fiercely competed in the hot dog race. The kids put on ketchup, mustard and relish costumes and ran as fast as they could. In the end, relish won, but fun was had by all!

After the hot dog race, Olivia Tallabas, living donor and recipient daughter, ran onto the field to change the bases. Olivia became a living donor in March 2003, when she donated her left kidney to her father. Her dad was a kidney and liver transplant recipient.

Thanks to the enthusiasm of the Donate Life section, and their fun presence throughout the game, attendees all across the stadium registered and reaffirmed their decision to save lives. The D-backs won the game against the Colorado Rockies, and Donate Life fans hit it out of the park!