LifeGift’s 12th Annual Houston 2nd Chance Run: Celebrating Hope and Honoring the Gift of Life

Local Family to Participate Honoring Donor for Life-Restoring Heart Transplant

LifeGift’s 2nd Chance Run (5K/1mile walk or run) honors organ, eye and tissue donors in 109 Texas counties in North, Southeast and West Texas. The Houston 2nd Chance Run will take place on Saturday, September 19th, at 7:00 a.m. at Willow Waterhole, featuring six interconnected lakes, restored prairie and wetland habitats and walking trails. LifeGift invites you to spend a morning celebrating the gift of life. The 2nd Chance Run is a timed event; you can run or walk 1 mile or 3.1 miles (5k) or participate virtually! For more information and to register, please click here. Take $5 off your registration fee using the code: FRIENDS5

All registered participants in the 2nd Chance Run will receive a custom event t-shirt, medal, race bib and a timing chip (for both 5k and 1 mile participants), along with a race swag bag and entry to our race village. LifeGift will promote the event on social media, sharing photos and messages of support for donor families, transplant recipients and other members of our community. Additionally, the largest family and hospital teams will be awarded the Largest Team trophy.

Exciting on-site activities will celebrate the heroes at the heart of LifeGift’s mission, including stilt walkers dressed as heroic characters, a Kids Zone where children can create their own hero-inspired capes, face painting, an interactive 360 photo booth and appearances by Multiverse Causeplay’s superheroes. Attendees can also honor donor heroes through special sign decorating, enjoy food vendors and more. LifeGift is proud to collaborate with event partners Houston Running Company, KTSU 90.9 FM and TumiVision Productions. This pet-friendly event also welcomes leashed dogs, with water bowls, dog biscuits and bandanas provided for all four-legged participants!

Meet Miguel Arbaje

Miguel Arbaje’s life changed drastically when an infection led to the need for a heart transplant. He endured 17 years living with an LVAD, pain and limitations, but hope arrived in August 2025 when he received the call. Miguel was in the hospital when the call came in, and he later received the greatest gift of all—a second chance at life. Miguel says the transplant not only changed the life of one person, but it transformed the life of his entire family.

Miguel and his family shares deep gratitude for his donor’s life-saving gift and the renewed future it gave them. He emphasizes that choosing to be an organ donor is one of the most powerful acts of love—one that can save lives, just as his donor saved him. With heartfelt appreciation, Miguel continues to honor his gift by encouraging others to consider the same selfless decision. We’re proud to announce that Miguel and his wife Brenda will also volunteer at this year’s event and will be available for in-person interviews.

“The Houston 2nd Chance Run represents the gift of life for the men, women and children still waiting for organ, eye and tissue transplants in our community,” says Kevin Myer, LifeGift president and CEO. “Each year, more people join us at this event, showing the powerful dedication of Houstonians to support donation, honor donor heroes and help save lives through organ and tissue donor registration.”

The Houston 2nd Chance Run is being generously sponsored by Baylor St. Luke’s Medical Center, Global Transplant Solutions, Houston Methodist J.C. Walter Jr. Transplant Center, Million Air, Memorial Hermann Transplant Institute, Organ Recovery Systems, LifeNet Health, AirSpace, BioCare Medical, Bridge to Life, CareDx, Sallop, Solvita, Andrews Myers Law Firm, Children’s Transplant Initiative, The Morales Memorial Foundation, Clayton Sparks Leaves His Mark and the American Liver Foundation.

Be sure to join us on our Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram pages as we honor our donors, recipients and their families online as well as educate on the importance of organ and tissue donor registration.

What: LifeGift’s 12th Annual Houston 2nd Chance Run
Who: Transplant recipients and those waiting on the transplant list, donor family members, healthcare professionals, donation advocates and the entire community are invited to participate
When: Saturday, September 19, 2026 at 7:00 a.m.

Where: Willow Waterhole, 5300 Dryad Drive, Houston, TX 77035
Website: Houston 2nd Chance Run

Miguel Arbaje and his wife Brenda will attend the event and will be available for interviews with the media in English and Spanish. For more information and to register, please click here. For onsite media event support, please contact Dagmar Hohnstein at dclimo@lifegift.org, 713.505.6871.

There are more than 11,000 Texans in need of organ transplants. Register today to become an organ, eye or tissue donor by visiting DonateLifeTexas.org.

Shining a Light of Hope on Organ, Eye and Tissue Donation.