Hope Starts Here 5K 2026
800+ Participants. 450+ Running in Honor or Memory of a Loved One. One Lifesaving Mission That Unites Us All.
Southwest Transplant Alliance hosted its 6th annual Hope Starts Here 5K on May 2 at Klyde Warren Park. This event was more than a 5K — it was an opportunity for more than 800 individuals to come together to honor our donor heroes, celebrate the gift of life, and raise awareness for the lifesaving impact of organ and tissue donation.
Participants and families enjoyed a variety of activities throughout the event, including a poster-making station, a kids’ corner featuring face painting and balloon animals, and a photo booth where attendees showed off their blue-and-green spirit while capturing memories together. The event also featured special appearances from Victor, the Dallas Stars mascot, and Champ, the Dallas Mavericks mascot.
There were many meaningful ways for donor families to engage with this event, including creating a team in honor of their loved one and fundraising to help save lives through donation. Congratulations to Team Rhett for being our top donor family team this year, raising $7500 in honor of Rhett Sinquefield – a beloved son, brother, cousin, and friend.
Wall of Hope
The Wall of Hope served as a special memorial for participants to bring photos of their loved ones to honor them throughout the event. The display was a meaningful reminder of the lasting impact of our donor heroes, whose legacies live on through their gift of life. It served as a powerful symbol of remembrance, healing, and hope.
Video Tribute Station: “Why I Run”
Participants had the chance to share their reasons for taking part in the 5K and reflect on the stories of the donor heroes they were honoring. From donor families to transplant recipients, the event brought the community together in support of the same lifesaving mission.
Mindy Robertson attended the race in honor of her daughter, Asia, and Asia’s aunt, Shae, who were both organ donors. “They were both kind and generous, sassy, and loud,” said Mindy. “Asia loved yellow, and as her mom, my hope is to continue her legacy, love who she loved, and be loud as she was through kindness and generosity.”
Mindy emphasized how events like the Hope Starts Here 5K are an important way for donor families to come together to celebrate their loved ones’ legacies and find connection and support through community and shared experiences.
“These events are important because we get to talk about our loved ones and show our love and dedication,” she said. “My favorite part is getting to talk about her, getting to show her yellow, and getting to meet other people.”
Mark is a lung transplant recipient who attended the 5K alongside his wife, Pam, in honor of his donor family. June 28 will mark one year since Mark received his lifesaving transplant.
Mark and Pam express immense gratitude for Mark’s donor hero and donor family, whose decision gave him a second chance at life.
“Words can’t express it, money can’t express it,” said Pam. “The families, the donors, they are our heroes. We thank them so much, and we’re grateful every day because Mark’s alive.”
We are grateful to each and every person who took the time to join us at the Hope Starts Here 5K. Your presence, support, and participation helps advance our mission to save lives through the gift of donation. We look forward to seeing you next year!
Our 5K Partners
A special thank you to our presenting sponsor, MediOps, as well as these generous partners for supporting our lifesaving mission and making this event possible:
Center for Advanced Studies at the University of Texas at Dallas
Medical City Dallas
UT Southwestern Medical Center
Miromatrix
Solvita
The Transplant Institute at Methodist Dallas
Global Transplant Solutions
Evergen Donor Services
Jordan iCare Foundation
CecilCo
Dallas Nephrology Associates
NORA
Bridge to Life
Transplant Teenz
Celsius
Klyde Warren Park