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2026 DLC Gala

The Symphony of Life

Honoring Transplant Professionals.

Inspiring Hope

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Saturday, October 3, 2026 

The Hotel Marcel  |  New Haven, CT

6:00 PM

For 41 years, Donate Life Connecticut has been the heartbeat of organ, eye, and tissue donation awareness in our state. We educate communities, support donor families, celebrate the heroic recipients whose lives are transformed by the generosity of others, and honor the transplant professionals who dedicate their lives to this work. Mark your calendars and save the date for this one-of-a-kind celebration:

The Symphony of Life!  Honoring Transplant Professionals. Inspiring Hope.

TICKETS ARE ON SALE NOW!

Eversource Hartford Marathon

Join Donate Life Connecticut for the 33rd running of the Eversource Hartford Marathon
Saturday, October 10, 2026

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Donate Life CT is proud to be an Official Charity Partner of the Eversource Hartford Marathon and Half Marathon, and we will be there running strong! We welcome participants to join our team and use their marathon, half marathon, Team 26.2 relay, or Charity 5K as a fundraiser for Donate Life CT. Additionally, any race participant may choose to support our team by adding a charity donation through their registration or donating directly through our fundraising page.

The event has something for the whole family. Run or walk the Charity 5K, volunteer with our group, get a group of 2-5 runners together for the Team 26.2 Relay, run the half marathon or full marathon, and let the kiddos join the action in the HMF FitKids races.

Learn more about the types of organ donation and the organs that can be transplanted.

Living donation is an opportunity to save a life while you are still living. Learn more here.

Myths and misinformation exist around organ donation. Learn the facts here.

Transplants offer patients a new chance at healthy, productive, normal lives.

Meet some organ recipients..

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More than 1,000 people in Connecticut alone are awaiting a life-saving organ donation. They may be your neighbors or co-workers. View the video below to hear how lives have been changed and people just like you have been given a second chance at life.

Lecture

Request a Speaker

Donate Life Connecticut representatives and volunteers are always willing to speak about donation. There are many appropriate ways to discuss donation in a public setting, such as during:

  • elementary, middle school, or high school classes

  • teacher's conferences

  • driver's education classes

  • religious group meetings

  • staff meetings

  • civic and service group meetings

  • health fairs

If you are interested in having a DLC representative speak at your event, please contact us. Thank you.

VISION.

This volunteer-based coalition believes that working together with a common voice is the best way to reach the goal of increasing the donor registry, which will inevitably impact the number of transplants that give new life and hope to people suffering from fatal illness or life threatening injury.

MISSION.

Donate Life Connecticut is dedicated to the purpose of public education and awareness for all Connecticut residents concerning the lifesaving benefits of organ and tissue donation and increasing the number of registered donors.

Lecture

Connecticut Donation Statistics

Time Frame
Total Organs
Deceased Organs
Living Organs
2025
976
639
337
2024
561
497
64
2023
501
398
103
2022
455
366
89
2021
491
410
81
2020
390
308
82

You too can save lives. Register to be a donor today!

Donor Registration Button

Dr. Dina Al Rameni

Cardiothoracic Surgeon, Hartford Hospital

Dr. Dina Al Rameni has dedicated her career to helping patients receive another chance at life while caring deeply for the people behind every procedure.

One heart recipient who nominated Dr. Al Rameni described her as compassionate, empathetic, and someone who goes far beyond her role as a physician, continuing to ask about her patients’ lives long after their care.

Her work reflects the extraordinary combination of expertise, compassion, and personal connection that defines the very best of transplant medicine.

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Dr. Hiroshi Sogawa

Surgical Director of Liver Transplantation, Yale New Haven Hospital
Professor of Surgery, Yale School of Medicine

Dr. Hiroshi Sogawa is recognized not only for his surgical expertise, but also for his leadership, innovation, and commitment to advancing patient outcomes.

A liver recipient who nominated Dr. Sogawa described him as a multi-faceted leader whose passion for changing lives is reflected both in his medical work and in the talented team he leads.

His work reminds us that transplantation depends on both remarkable individual skill and extraordinary teamwork.

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Celebrating Connecticut’s Transplant Heroes

Earlier this year, Donate Life Connecticut asked members of the transplant community a simple question:


Who made a difference in your transplant journey?


The responses were extraordinary.


You told us about surgeons who refused to give up. Coordinators who answered one more question. Nurses who brought calm during frightening moments. Donor professionals who helped make extraordinary gifts possible. And healthcare professionals whose expertise was matched by their kindness, advocacy, and humanity.


Throughout National Donate Life Month, we shared many of these stories with our community.


On October 3, we will bring these heroes together and celebrate them in person.


Come celebrate the people who make second chances possible.

An Evening of Music, Stories, Heroes, and Hope

The Symphony of Life is more than a gala.

It is an evening designed to celebrate the people, stories, and connections that make donation and transplantation possible.

Guests will enjoy:

  • Cocktail Hour

Reconnect with friends and members of Connecticut’s transplant community before dinner.

  • Dinner

Enjoy an evening meal in the Loggia Penthouse at Hotel Marcel.

  • Special Musical Performance

Experience a moving performance created to bring the meaning of The Symphony of Life to life.

  • Transplant Hero Recognition

Celebrate our 2026 Transplant Heroes and special award recipients Dr. Dina Al Rameni and Dr. Hiroshi Sogawa.

  • Powerful Stories

Hear from people whose lives have been changed by donation and transplantation.

  • DJ and Dancing

Kick up your heels and spend some time on the dance floor.

  • Silent Auction

Bid on donated experiences and items benefiting Donate Life Connecticut.

  • Paddle Raise

Help carry Donate Life Connecticut’s education and outreach mission forward.

With Gratitude to Our Sponsors

The Symphony of Life is made possible through the generosity of individuals, businesses, healthcare organizations, and foundations that believe in Donate Life Connecticut’s mission.

Symphony Sponsors

Yale New Haven Hospital

Jamie Sea

Harmony Sponsor

Hartford HealthCare

Melody Sponsor

New England Donor Services

Chorus Sponsors

Morgan Stanley

Memorial Military Museum

Hargreaves Family Foundation

We are deeply grateful for their leadership and support.

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CT Coalition for Organ & Tissue Donation

dba Donate Life Connecticut

PO Box 23, Madison, CT 06443

203-626-4237

Stay in the know with our

Donate Life CT Newsletter.

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​© 2026 Donate Life CT.

All Rights Reserved.

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