DreamWalk Fashion Show, 2019
Summit for Life, 2017
20 Million Campaign
Book Signing, 2008
With Dennis McCloskey, Author of Valen’s biography
Walk For PKD
2022
Letters of Hope, created by Valen and sponsored by Thermo Fisher Scientific, was awarded the Donate Life Hollywood Inspire Award at the DLH Inspire Awards Event
2019
Selected to be a “Dreamer” in the DreamWalk Fashion Show in NYC
Corks for a Cure committee member, helping to organize the annual PKD fundraiser raising over $150,000 for PKD research, which won the 2018 Outstanding Fundraiser Award by the PKD Foundation and was in the top five PKD Foundation fundraising events in 2019, 2016-2019
2018
Goodhyouman clothing selected Valen’s story to be featured on their hangtags
2017
Recipient of the “Bounce Back, Give Back Award” from the Chris Klug Foundation
2013
Winner of the Donate Life Blue and Green Day Contest
2012
Received the “Outstanding Media Ambassador” award from Sierra Donor Services
Selected as one of the “12 Inspiring Women of 20 Million in 2012” by Donate Life America
1st place winner of Renal Support Network’s Annual Kidney Times Essay Contest
2011
Appointed a National Spokesperson for University Kidney Research Organization
Selected as winner of nationwide Astellas “Ride of a Lifetime” Rose Parade Contest and rode on the Donate Life Float in the Rose Parade, 2010-2011
UKRO spokesperson Valen Keefer talks about her inspirational battle with kidney disease, her life-saving transplant and the vital need to fund research for a cure.
2009
Recipient of the Susan P. Byrnes Health Education Center “Celebration of Life Award”
Selected as the “Smart Woman” for Smart Magazine
Recipient of the first-ever “Helene Kenigsberg Award for Excellence in Public Awareness of Polycystic Kidney Disease” from the PKD Foundation of Canada. This award was established in 2009 and is the only award of its kind, honoring individuals who have made an outstanding contribution in creating public awareness of PKD on a national level
Attended Senate Session as Senator Waugh’s special guest as he adopted Resolution 138 designating September 2009 as PKD Awareness Month in the state of PA in Valen’s honor
2008
Subject of award-winning biography, “My Favorite American” by Dennis McCloskey
Graduate of the Dale Carnegie Effective Communications and Human Relations Course and the High Impact Presentation Course. Recipient of the following Dale Carnegie Course awards: Outstanding Performance, Human Relations, Human Relations Champion and Highest Award for Achievement
2007
The author of Valen’s biography, Dennis McCloskey, and Valen were invited into the operating room at Johns Hopkins Hospital to watch a kidney being removed from a donor and transplanted into a recipient by Valen’s kidney transplant surgeon, Dr. Robert Montgomery
2006
Campaign Chair for the PKD Foundation’s “Campaign for a Cure,” raising over $1,000,000 for PKD research, 2004-2006
Chapter and Walk Coordinator for the South Central Pennsylvania Chapter of the PKD Foundation, raising more than $100,000 for PKD research, 2004-2006
Collaborated with Pennsylvania Senator Waugh to introduce a resolution for September 2006 to be designated as PKD awareness month in the state of Pennsylvania
Top Individual Fundraiser Award from the PKD Foundation for the South Central Pennsylvania Walk for PKD
2005
Nominated for and received the most votes in a nationwide contest, and named the first-ever Davita “Kidney Idol”
2004
Founded of the South Central Pennsylvania Chapter of the PKD Foundation