An event that started in honor of a young mother who died from complications after giving birth has grown into an annual run hosted by a group of RIT students.
Karen's Walk and 5K Run started 11 years ago after Karen Decker died of heart complications a few weeks after giving birth to her first child.
About 200 people gathered at RIT Saturday to raise money for heart research in her memory. Organizers hope to raise around $3,000 and have raised nearly $27,000 since the event began.
Emily Bartha, Karen's Walk Coordinator, said, "The money goes to the University of Rochester Medical Center, in their cardiology department. They use their money to fund their research to help prevent heart failure."
The event was hosted by the Phi Sigma Pi National Honor Fraternity at RIT.