Heart Transplant Recipient to Bike Across America in LiveOnNY Awareness Campaign
Event summary
- Ken Abbott, a heart transplant recipient, will bike across America in March 2026 to raise awareness for organ donation.
- Abbott's journey, 'Pedaling for Life: One Heart's Journey Across America,' will span seven weeks and cover eight states.
- LiveOnNY donors provided 130 lifesaving organs to recipients in the states Abbott will travel through from 2022–2025.
- Over the past five years, nearly 5,000 individuals are off the waiting list locally and nationally because of New York donors.
The big picture
LiveOnNY's campaign underscores the growing trend of transplant recipients advocating for organ donation, highlighting the broader impact of New York donors across the U.S. The initiative aligns with national efforts to increase awareness amid a persistent shortage of organs, where over 100,000 people await lifesaving transplants.
What we're watching
- Awareness Impact
- How Abbott's cross-country ride will affect organ donation registration rates.
- Fundraising Success
- Whether the campaign can sustain LiveOnNY Foundation's support programs.
- Donor Outreach
- The pace at which LiveOnNY can expand its donor network beyond New York.