February is American Heart Month, a national observance to raise awareness about cardiovascular disease, the leading cause of death in the U.S., encouraging people to focus on heart health through lifestyle changes like healthy eating, exercise, managing blood pressure, and quitting smoking, with major events like National Wear Red Day highlighting women's heart health.

National Wear Red Day is an annual awareness event held on the first Friday in February, encouraging people to wear red to highlight that heart disease is the leading cause of death for women in the U.S., promoting awareness, research, and prevention to help women take charge of their heart health.

National Donor Day is an observance dedicated to spreading awareness and education about organ, eye and tissue donation. Check out https://www.chrisklugfoundation.org/national-donor-day to see what CKF is getting up to this National Donor Day.

Presidents' Day in 2026 falls on Monday, February 16, 2026, as it's celebrated on the third Monday of February, creating a three-day weekend for many. Officially known as Washington's Birthday at the federal level, government offices, banks, and the postal service will be closed. 

National Caregivers Day is celebrated to honor the vital contributions of caregivers—family, friends, and professionals—who provide crucial physical and emotional support, recognizing their selfless work in improving lives and communities. It's a day to show appreciation through thanks, supporting caregiver organizations, and sharing stories. We want to take a moment to celebrate the caregivers in the transplant and donation community whose support and care of their loved ones is often not recognized enough!

Heart Valve Disease Awareness Day is an annual event on February 22, during American Heart Month, dedicated to educating the public about heart valve disease (HVD) risks, symptoms, and treatments, encouraging early detection through simple heart checkups, and promoting advocacy.

We want to take a moment to thank all those individuals and donor families who have chosen to save lives through donating heart valves.

Join the CKF Team and take on the challenge of promoting organ, eye and tissue donation through running. Check out our Realbuzz Running Series page to learn more: https://www.chrisklugfoundation.org/realbuzz-and-ckf

Kidney Month is observed every March in the U.S. to raise awareness about kidney health, the risks of kidney disease (CKD), and the importance of prevention and early detection, as millions are affected, often unknowingly. This awareness month highlights the kidneys' vital functions, such as filtering blood, balancing fluids, regulating blood pressure, and activating Vitamin D, while promoting healthy habits like managing blood pressure and diabetes to protect these vital organs

World Hearing Day is a campaign held each year by the Office of Prevention of Blindness and Deafness of the World Health Organization. We want to use this day to honor the donors who have helped restore individuals hearing.

International Women's Day is celebrated on 8 March, commemorating women's fight for equality and liberation along with the women's rights movement. As we celebrate the women who have shaped our past and will shape our future, we want to celebrate the women in the transplant community. From recipients, to caregivers, donors, medical professionals, OPO, and nonprofit staff, each makes our community stronger than ever.

Sign up HERE to donate blood with the Vitalant Bloodmobile at Aspen Middle School.

World Kidney Day (WKD) is a global awareness campaign held annually on the second Thursday in March, focusing on the importance of kidney health, reducing the impact of kidney disease, and ensuring equitable care. We want to celebrate all of our kidney recipients and thank those who have saved lives as a kidney donor.

St. Patrick's Day, celebrated annually on March 17th, commemorates the death of St. Patrick, Ireland's patron saint, evolving from a religious feast into a global cultural celebration of Irish heritage featuring parades, green attire, shamrocks, music, and traditional food, honoring his role in bringing Christianity to Ireland. 

This St Patrick's Day, let's turn the country green for more than one reason! Spread the green for organ donation!

Sign up HERE to donate blood with the Vitalant Bloodmobile behind the Basalt Library.

Our wonderful Ambassador Terri will be representing CKF at this year’s HOSA CA’s State Leadership Conference, educating students about the importance of registering as organ, eye, and tissue donors!

National Doctors' Day in the United States for 2026 is on Monday, March 30th, a yearly observance honoring physicians for their dedication and skill in providing healthcare, a tradition dating back to 1933. It's a day to recognize all doctors for their vital contributions to health and well-being. We want to take a moment to thank all the doctors who work every day to support those in the transplant community and make donation possible.

National Donate Life Month (NDLM) is celebrated every April to raise awareness about organ, eye, and tissue donation, encourage people to register as donors, and honor living donors, deceased donors, and transplant recipients. Led by Donate Life America, the month features events like Blue & Green Spirit Week and Donate Life Blue & Green Day (usually April 11th) to promote education, gratitude, and the lifesaving gift of donation.

Minority Health Month (NMHM) is observed every April to raise awareness about health disparities affecting racial and ethnic minority communities, focusing on improving health outcomes, promoting health equity, and reducing the disproportionate burden of chronic illnesses like diabetes, heart disease, and hypertension. It's a national effort led by the NIH's National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD) and the CDC's Office of Minority Health (OMH) to encourage culturally relevant solutions, community engagement, and better access to care. 

World Health Day is an annual global health awareness day celebrated on April 7th, marking the founding of the World Health Organization (WHO) (WHO) in 1948, with each year focusing on a specific public health priority, like maternal health in 2025 or climate change in 2022, to promote global well-being and address urgent health challenges through awareness campaigns and actions. 

National Donate Life Blue & Green Day is part of Donate Life America’s National Donate Life Month — observed on the second Friday of April each year. During National Donate Life Blue & Green Day, the public is encouraged to wear blue and green and to engage in sharing the Donate Life message and promoting the importance of registering as an organ, eye and tissue donor.

Living Donor Day honors and celebrates those who have saved lives by giving the git of life. Then the day aims to raise awareness and encourage others to become donors.

World Liver Day is an annual global awareness day celebrated on April 19th, led by organizations like the EASL, to highlight liver health, promote prevention of liver diseases, and educate the public about liver function, with recent themes focusing on nutrition's role, such as "Food is Medicine" for 2025. It serves as a platform for campaigns encouraging healthy diets, exercise, limiting alcohol, and early detection, as liver conditions are often silent but preventable

We want to celebrate the individuals who have received a liver transplant, or have made the selfless decision to donate and save someones life.

Honoring the lives of organ, eye, and tissue donors, celebrating the lives of transplant recipients, and recognizing those who continue to wait for a transplant. We love supporting the Donor Alliance at the Annual Wyoming Donor Dash.

Donor Remembrance Day, held annually on April 30th, is a special day organized by the Association of Organ Procurement Organizations (AOPO) to honor and celebrate "Donor Heroes" who gave the gift of life through organ, eye, and tissue donation during National Donate Life Month. People participate by sharing stories, planting virtual forget-me-not flowers in the AOPO Donor Hero Remembrance Garden, and joining local events to remember these selfless individuals and their families. 

Mental Health Awareness Month is observed every May, spearheaded by organizations like NAMI and Mental Health America, to raise awareness about mental health conditions, reduce stigma, and promote mental wellness through education, storytelling, and advocacy, with calls to action focusing on support, resilience, and seeking help for oneself or others. This annual observance, established in 1949, encourages conversations and actions to make mental health care as accessible as physical health care. 

Women's Health Month is observed every May in the U.S., led by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office on Women's Health (OWH) (HHS), to raise awareness about women's health issues, encourage preventative care, and promote overall well-being for women and girls across all life stages. It kicks off with National Women's Health Week (NWHW) starting on Mother's Day, encouraging checkups, healthy eating, stress management, and awareness of conditions like heart disease, cancer, mental health issues, and reproductive health. 

Memorial Day is a federal holiday in the United States for mourning the U.S. military personnel who died while serving in the United States Armed Forces. It is observed on the last Monday of May.

International Nurses Day (IND) is celebrated globally on May 12th each year to honor nurses' vital contributions to society, marking the birthday of Florence Nightingale, the founder of modern nursing. We would like to honor and thank the nurses nationwide that help our transplant and donation community.

Sign up HERE to donate blood with the Vitalant Bloodmobile at Aspen Middle School.

The Blue Ducky 5k Waddle is held in remembrance of Stephany Nicolosi, an amazing woman who helped save the lives of 8 people through organ, eye, and tissue donation. She fought for life every day and outlived the odds. The Blue Ducky comes from Stephany’s love of the color blue and her love of rubber duckies. A portion of the proceeds from this event will benefit the Chris Klug Foundation, a nonprofit organization that educates on the importance of organ, eye, and tissue donation.

Men's Health Month is celebrated every June to raise awareness about preventable health issues, encourage healthy lifestyle choices, and promote early detection of diseases in men and boys, with key focuses on mental health, regular check-ups, and managing conditions like heart disease, cancer, and depression. The month encourages men to prioritize wellness through better diet, exercise, stress management, and open conversations about health, using the color blue as a symbol.  

Pride Month, celebrated in June, honors the LGBTQ+ community by commemorating the 1969 Stonewall Uprising, celebrating diverse identities, and advocating for equality and acceptance through parades, events, and education, recognizing both progress made and ongoing struggles for rights and visibility worldwide. It's a time for amplifying LGBTQ+ voices, celebrating culture, and remembering those lost to violence and HIV/AIDS, fostering a message of being unapologetically oneself. 

CKF aims to use Pride month to remind members of the LGBTQ+ community that the HOPE Act made it possible for HIV positive individuals to become organ donors.

Happy Happy Birthday to our wonderful Destiny! We want to thank her for her commitment to CKF and our mission!

Every year countries around the world celebrate World Blood Donor Day (WBDD). The event serves to raise awareness of the need for safe blood and blood products and to thank voluntary, unpaid blood donors for their life-saving gifts of blood.

A blood service that gives patients access to safe blood and blood products in sufficient quantity is a key component of an effective health system. The global theme of World Blood Donor Day changes each year in recognition of the selfless individuals who donate their blood for people unknown to them.

New Liver New York 50K is an unsanctioned two-part endurance event taking place in NYC on June 13th, 2026. No permits. No official course. NLNY takes participants through the streets of Manhattan in two distinct experiences: a non-competitive tip-to-tip journey during the day (16ish miles), followed by a roughly 15-mile checkpoint race starting at midnight.

NLNY exists to celebrate organ donation and the gift of life.

Part 1: 8AM @ INWOOD FARM / / ~ 16 MILE TIP TO TIP

• Non-competitive. Move at your own pace.

• Start at Inwood Farm. End at The Battery.

• No set route. Make the course what you want.

• No aid stations.

• Approximately 16 miles depending on your route.

Part 2: MIDNIGHT @ TBA / / ~ 15 MILE CHECKPOINT FOOT RACE

• Starts at midnight.

• Four checkpoints.

• No set route.

• Start, checkpoints and finish locations TBA 1 week before.

• No aid stations.

• No official time tracking. Strava activities will be used to verify completion.

• Approximately 15 miles depending on your route.

Register Now

Can't make it? Consider donating to the Chris Klug Foundation. You can do that through the Eventbrite link or directly to Chris Klug Foundation here.

Juneteenth, celebrated on June 19th, commemorates the end of slavery in the U.S., marking when enslaved people in Galveston, Texas, learned of their freedom in 1865, long after the Emancipation Proclamation. It's a federal holiday (since 2021) known as Freedom Day, celebrated with parades, picnics, cultural events, and red foods, honoring African American history, culture, and the struggle for liberty with observances like reading the Emancipation Proclamation and family gatherings. 

Sign up HERE to donate blood with the Vitalant Bloodmobile behind the Basalt Library.

July is National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month. It is a time to bring awareness to the unique challenges that racial and ethnic minorities in the United States face when it comes to mental illness. In 2020, fewer than one in every two African American adults got care for mental health. In 2018, Asian Americans were 60 percent less likely to receive mental health treatment than non-Hispanic Whites. Obstacles for many include a lack of health insurance, less access to treatment, and stigma.

Independence Day, known colloquially as the Fourth of July, is a federal holiday in the United States which commemorates the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, establishing the United States of America.

Sign up HERE to donate blood with the Vitalant Bloodmobile at Aspen Middle School.

The Colorado Donor Dash is the largest awareness event in Colorado and CKF is a proud sponsor of the event! We would love to see you there!

National Minority Donor Awareness Month is a collaborative initiative of the National (Organ, Eye and Tissue Donation) Multicultural Action Group (NMAG) to save and improve the quality of life of diverse communities by creating a positive culture for organ, eye, and tissue donation.

Team CKF has a team of bikers who will take on the Leadville 100 MTB, in honor of organ, eye and tissue donation, They raise awareness and funds for CKF.

Wine & Dine is CKF’s annual Gala that is hosted at the Snowmass Club to celebrate the gift of life and our three CKF Award Winners. You can learn more by clicking here.

CKF has a fabulous team of individuals taking on the Sydney Marathon in honor of organ, eye, and tissue donation!

National DMV Appreciation Month is celebrated every September by Donate Life America and its partners to thank Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) staff for their crucial role in registering organ, eye, and tissue donors, which saves and heals lives. It's a time to recognize DMV employees for asking the donor question daily, making them the primary source for donor registrations, with millions of Americans registered thanks to their efforts. 

Labor Day in 2026 falls on Monday, September 7th, as it's always celebrated on the first Monday of September, marking the end of summer and honoring American workers' contributions. This federal holiday kicks off the Labor Day weekend, a popular time for relaxation and celebrations before autumn.  

Sign up HERE to donate blood with the Vitalant Bloodmobile at Aspen Middle School.

World Marrow Donor Day (WMDD) is held globally on the third Saturday of September (Sept 20, 2025) to thank donors and raise awareness, while November is National Marrow Awareness Month, a broader effort to encourage people to join the stem cell registry and support patients needing transplants for diseases like leukemia. These initiatives highlight the critical need for diverse donors to find matches for patients who don't have family donors. 

World Lung Day is an annual global awareness day on September 25th, established by the Forum of International Respiratory Societies (FIRS) to highlight lung health, promote prevention of lung diseases, and advocate for cleaner air, emphasizing that healthy lungs are vital for a healthy life. It's a day for individuals, healthcare professionals, and governments to unite in tackling respiratory illnesses and improving air quality through education, policy, and action, with recent themes focusing on "Healthy Lungs, Healthy Life"

CKF wants to celebrate our lung transplant recipients and those who saved their lives by donating.

World Pharmacists Day is a global healthcare event celebrated on September 25th every year since 2009. It commemorates the anniversary of the International Pharmaceutical Federation, which was established in 1912 to recognize the vital role of pharmacists in healthcare systems around the globe.

We want to thank our pharmacists who help those in our community everyday!

Sign up HERE to donate blood with the Vitalant Bloodmobile behind the Basalt Library.

World Heart day is an important annual event, witnessed every year on 29th September. The day is celebrated by organizing various activities and awareness events globally to raise awareness about heart disease and its preventive measures to manage cardiovascular diseases. We want to celebrate the individuals who have recieved heart transplants and those who became donors that helped make it possible.

Health Literacy Month is observed every October to raise awareness about the importance of clear, accessible health information, helping people understand their health conditions, make informed decisions, and better navigate the healthcare system to stay healthy. It emphasizes making health communication simple and actionable, benefiting everyone from patients to providers, and encouraging shared understanding for better health outcomes. 

October is Healthy Lung Month, a national observance focused on raising awareness about lung health and preventing respiratory diseases through education on quitting smoking, minimizing pollution, regular exercise, vaccinations, and healthy habits. It's a reminder to protect our lungs from smoke, mold, and indoor/outdoor air pollution, and to seek care for breathing issues.  

Child Health Day. First proclaimed to be May 1 by President Coolidge in 1928, this national observance has taken place on the first Monday in October since 1926. On Child Health Day, we are encouraged to pay special attention to the physical and mental health and safety of children in the United States.

Happy Birthday to our wonderful leader Jessi Rochel! We would not be able to continue our work without her leadership and passion!

World Sight Day, observed annually on the second Thursday of October, is a global event meant to draw attention to blindness and vision impairment. It was originally initiated by the SightFirstCampaign of Lions Club International Foundation in 2000. We want to celebrate all the cornea donors who have helped restore the sight of recipients around the world!

Indigenous Peoples' Day is an official city and state holiday in various localities in the United States that celebrates and honors Indigenous American peoples and commemorates their histories and cultures. It is celebrated on the second Monday in October.

World Arthritis Day (WAD) is an annual global awareness day on October 12th, established in 1996 by Arthritis and Rheumatism International (ARI), to highlight the significant impact of rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases (RMDs), drive action for better care, and raise awareness that arthritis is a serious public health issue, not just an "invisible disease". It's a time for organizations like the Arthritis Foundation and EULAR to promote understanding, research, and support for the hundreds of millions affected worldwide. 

World Thrombosis Day (WTD) is an annual global awareness campaign on October 13th that educates people about life-threatening blood clots (thrombosis), their causes, risks, signs, and prevention, aiming to reduce deaths from heart attacks, strokes, and pulmonary embolisms.

World Osteoporosis Day is observed annually on 20 October, and launches a year-long campaign dedicated to raising global awareness of bone health, and of the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of osteoporosis and metabolic bone disease.

Happy Happy Birthday to CKF! We are turning 23 this year!

This Halloween we are looking to show the world why organ donation is not spooky! We would love your help to show everyone why they should support organ donation. We are asking all of our supporters to Haunt It or Flaunt It by posting a photo of why they support donation. This could be a fact of donation or how donation is important to you. All participants who tag CKF in their post will be added to a prize draw to win a CKF Goodie Bag!

November is National Eye Donation Month, a time to honor selfless donors who restore sight and to encourage everyone to register as donors, as thousands benefit from corneal transplants to see clearly and experience life anew, highlighting that nearly anyone can be a donor and transform lives. 

CKF has a team taking on the NYC Marathon in honor of organ, eye and tissue donation!

Sign up HERE to donate blood with the Vitalant Bloodmobile at Aspen Middle School.

Veterans Day, observed annually on November 11th, is a U.S. federal holiday honoring all who have served in the American Armed Forces, stemming from the 1918 WWI Armistice and evolving from "Armistice Day" to honor all veterans after World War II and the Korean War. It's a day of national gratitude, recognizing the patriotism, sacrifice, and service of veterans during wartime and peacetime, celebrated with parades, ceremonies, and moments of silence to show appreciation for their contributions. 

Thanksgiving in the United States for 2025 was celebrated on Thursday, November 27. The holiday is a time for gratitude, gathering with loved ones, and enjoying traditional food.

This Thanksgiving, we are thankful for all those who make transplantation possible.

orld AIDS Day is observed annually on December 1st to unite people in supporting those living with HIV, remembering those lost to AIDS-related illnesses, and raising awareness about the ongoing HIV/AIDS pandemic, focusing each year on specific themes like ending inequalities or letting communities lead, with global efforts to promote prevention, treatment, and rights. 

Join us for the 21st Annual Summit for Life on Aspen Mountain!

Sign up HERE to donate blood with the Vitalant Bloodmobile behind the Basalt Library.

We hope you and your loved ones have a magical Christmas!