'Jayla's Journey' Leads Dad To Job, New Passion

TOMS RIVER, NJ — When James Sorenson laced up his running shoes for the NJ Sharing Network's 5K Celebration of Life last spring, he had one goal: to raise money to help organ recipients.

"I was able to raise a decent amount of money," Sorenson, of Toms River, said this week as he prepares to run again this Sunday in Long Branch with his fundraising team, Jayla's Journey. The funds help those who are on the receiving end of the final gift of someone's life that often comes amid heartbreaking loss: the gift of organ donation.

"I took it on to raise awareness and help others in need," Sorenson said, "because someday we will be the ones in need."

For Sorenson, it's not a theoretical statement; his 7-year-old daughter, Jayla, will need a kidney transplant at some point because hers will fail at some point.

Jayla, who was born three months prematurely, has a condition called kidney dysplasia. It occurs when the kidneys do not develop correctly in the womb, the Urology Care Foundation says.

"She was born with really small kidneys and cysts on them," Sorenson said, and she is outgrowing the size of her kidneys. The result is they don't function properly. Right now, she's at about 50 percent kidney function, but that is deteriorating. When she reaches 25 percent she can be put on the transplant waiting list. When she reaches 15 percent function, she will need a transplant or kidney dialysis to survive, he said.

He had been looking for a way to get involved and help raise awareness of organ donation when he learned about the 5K Celebration of Life.

"My girlfriend said, 'Let's do it,' " he said, and at the event, he realized he found exactly what he was looking for. "Just being at that event, hearing all the inspirational stories, I completely fell in love with the whole thing."

Sorenson said he'd always been a casual runner but had never competed or run in any kind of race prior to the 5K last year. Since then, however, he has run in several other fundraising races, all to help support other causes. And he started fundraising for the Celebration of Life event as soon as the registration opened for this year's race. Jayla's Journey had five participants, including Sorenson, last year; this year the team has nearly 40 members, he said.

Sorenson's newfound passion also has changed his life in other ways. While raising Jayda as a single parent, he has been working on his bachelor's degree in physical education at Kean University, where he's a semester away from graduating. He also works full-time, as a substitute teacher and as the distance coach for the Toms River South boys track team. That job, he said, resulted directly from running in the 5K Celebration of Life.

"It all just fell into place," Sorenson said.

He also has been researching his family. "I'm adopted," he said, and because of that he does not know much about his biological family's medical history. It's something he'd like to know more about because it would help answer some questions about whether he could be a living kidney donor for his daughter.

"I don't know if (her kidney dysplasia) runs in the family," he said.

For now, he is focused on the "family" that is the Jayla's Journey team. It includes his girlfriend and her family, his family, Jayla's first-grade teacher and other teachers at her school, teachers and staff at the Goddard School, where Jayla goes to before and aftercare, and even members of the Toms River South track team. They are expecting to raise about $3,000 this year.

"The Goddard School sponsored all our shirts," Sorenson said. "My goal is to raise more money each year, to continue Jayla's Journey."

The 5K Celebration of Life is not just a fundraiser, the NJ Sharing Network says. The event honors those who gave the gift of life, pays tribute to those who have received a transplant, offers hope to those currently waiting for a transplant and remembers those who passed away while waiting for the gift of life.

In 2018, 678 life-saving transplants were made possible, 537 from deceased donors and an additional 141 from living donors, through the funds raised for the NJ Sharing Network, the organization said. Nearly 4,000 New Jersey residents are awaiting a transplant, and three people are added to the list each day. One person dies every three days while waiting for a transplant.

One organ donor can save eight lives and one tissue donor can restore health to more than 75 people, the organization says.

Sunday's event in Long Branch, at the Great Lawn at the Ocean Promenade, is an offshoot of the original and main event, which is held in New Providence and set for Sunday, June 2 this year. In addition to the races there is music, dancing, food trucks, kids’ activities, sponsor giveaways and more.

"The 5K Celebration of Life events bring together donor families, transplant recipients, those waiting for a transplant, volunteers, sponsors and partners, all of whom play an integral role in making our life-saving mission possible," said Joe Roth, president and CEO of the NJ Sharing Network. "The sheer volume of support, compassion and dedication is palpable as our teams walk and run to celebrate the gift of life."

For more information, visit the NJ Sharing Network website.

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