Time to dust off your uphill gear because the Chris Klug Foundation’s (CKF) highly anticipated Summit for Life race is happening on Dec. 7.
Under the moonlight, athletes will test their early season fitness by either skinning, snowshoeing or hiking up Aspen Mountain. The daunting course features a 3,267-vertical-foot gain over 2.5 miles, but finishers will enjoy a jubilant and delectable after party at the Sundeck Restaurant. Dinner will be provided by The Little Nell, and live music coupled with an awards ceremony will keep the celebration going.
“This is a fun event,” said CKF founder and chairman Chris Klug. “Twenty years later it still resonates with people and is a great way to kick off the winter season. It’s a chance for us to get together as a community.”
While the physical feat is impressive and rewarding, the race brings a deeper sense of meaning as it raises awareness and funds for eye, tissue and organ donations. Athletes pay a minimal registration fee and then commit to raising at least $100 by Thursday, Dec. 5. Incentives, such as a prize for the top fundraiser, encourage participants to exceed the fundraising goal. In 2023, the flagship event raised over $122,000 and reached over 30,000 individuals, making the race a spectacular success.
“We have a unique approach through this vehicle of action sports, through our passions for snow sports,” said Klug. “It’s a great way to show the world what’s possible after a transplant. It’s not a death sentence, and you can do great things after a transplant. I think it also transcends the transplant community [and is] about what’s possible after any adversity or medical challenge.”
The lifesaving gift of organ donation is at a pivotal point. According to Donate Life America and United Network for Organ Sharing, two leading nonprofits in the organ transplant community, over 100,000 Americans are currently on the transplant list and 160 people are added daily. About 95% of Americans agree with organ donations, and yet only 48% are registered; Colorado, however, leads the country with nearly 70% registered. Unfortunately, because transplantation can take years to come to fruition, over 6,000 children and adults die annually while waiting. Statistics indicate that one donor can save up to eight individuals.
Founded in 2003 by Klug, the nonprofit utilizes education and community outreach to encourage donor registration and provide hope for those in the transplant community with the ultimate goal of eliminating the wait for transplantation.
Youth education programs, such as Toolkits for Teachers, help dispel misconceptions about organ donation by providing fact-driven, age-appropriate and bilingual curriculums for health educators, community advocates and driver education teachers. Donor Dudes, an outreach program geared toward high schoolers and college students, allows volunteer students to facilitate their own fundraising events.
“We wanted to focus on that first introduction to organ donation and get it right so that young people know what this means and can make an educated decision,” said Klug. “The hope is that all the people we come in contact with will go home and have a conversation with their family.”
Klug, a former professional snowboarder, created the foundation in response to his own personal experience as a transplant recipient. Diagnosed with primary sclerosing cholangitis, a rare degenerative bile duct condition, Klug needed a liver transplant. He was asymptomatic for many years, but when his health began to deteriorate his need became critical. Then, in July 2000, after nearly six years on the list, Klug received the lifesaving call.
“I was elated to get the call,” he recalled. “It was like I was in the Olympic starting gate. I was excited and ready. I was prepared for this, for what I would call the race for my life.”
Despite fears of the unknown, Klug and his support team went through with the transplant and less than six weeks later he was back on his snowboard. Motivated by this second chance, Klug trained relentlessly and went on to achieve a bronze medal for Team USA at the 2001 Salt Lake City Olympics.
“It’s really neat to show people what’s possible after a transplant,” said Klug. “I will never stop sharing my story, because it might help one person to say, ‘Hey there is a light at the end of the tunnel. I can bounce back and not give up on my dreams.’ It’s such a privilege to share that message. It motivates me.”
Klug attributes CKF’s success to the unwavering support of community members both near and far. Employees of the nonprofit, such as Executive Director Jessi Rochel and Program/Communications Director Anna Morgan-Palardy have helped shape CKF, as well as board members, volunteers, students and educators who have donated their time and energy to help strive for eliminating the transplantation wait list.
“We’ve had a lot of help. This whole community has been a huge part of this foundation,” said Klug. “That’s what Summit for Life is all about. Yes, it’s a fundraiser, but it’s the kickoff to winter and a celebration of second chances and what’s possible. It’s going to be a heck of a party!”
Registration for Summit for Life is now open. Visit www.chrisklugfoundation.org to learn more about the race and how you can get involved with CKF.