2023 Rider Honorees
Meet the float riders touched through donation and transplantation.
-
At the age of five, Bri Majsiak lost her mother to breast cancer. Bri knew her own increased risk of breast cancer and after receiving inconclusive genetic testing results with a future of routine screenings and biopsies, she decided to be proactive. At 26 Bri underwent a prophylactic mastectomy, with immediate breast reconstruction. Nerves are cut when the breast tissue is removed, often with partial to complete numbness. Thanks to a donor’s selfless gift, Bri’s had a breast nerve repair procedure using donated nerve tissue (processed nerve allograft). Her nerves regenerated without numbness, allowing her to move forward and heal. Bri’s mother was a nurse, and a passionate advocate for organ and tissue donation. Bri, also an advocate, co-founded Breasties, the first all-inclusive nonprofit organization for all individuals impacted by breast and gynecologic cancers. Using her health journalism background, she highlights BIPOC, with stories and resources that didn’t exist during the time of her mom’s diagnosis. -
"Now Caitlin Can" by Ramona Wood, a book inspired by the life of Caitlin Pendzinski, explains the impact of organ donation and transplantation for young children. Born with a rare kidney disease, Caitlin was flown to Arkansas Children's Hospital at just four days old and would undergo what would be the first of many surgeries giving her a one year life expectancy. Caitlin was given a second chance at life through Mark's amazing gift of a kidney when she was 4 years old. In 2002 Mark and Caitlin’s family met. She was thriving, enjoying real food, and could go swimming. The families remain in regular contact. High School highlights include cheerleading and singing in the honors choir. She enjoys watching the sunset, going fishing, and living near Mark Twain Lake. Caitlin celebrated the 20th anniversary of her transplant this year. Both donor and recipient families feel honored to be a part of the 2023 Donate Life float. -
David Wheelis wakes up grateful every day he is alive. His life is forever changed thanks to his girlfriend (now wife), Misti, saving his life five years ago. In 2010, after receiving his diagnosis of a rare kidney disease, David began to accept his diagnosis and eventual transplant and treatment. To delay the disease, he led a healthy lifestyle, watched what he was eating and exercised. He kept his faith knowing the big things would take care of themselves. When David began showing signs of liver failure, he and Misti visited his hepatologist, discussing options. As soon as the doctor mentioned he could potentially have a living donor, Misti knew she wanted to be tested, eventually learning she could donate part of her liver to him. David’s life was forever changed by Misti’s irreplaceable gift of life. Misti was inspired to become a nurse. Forever grateful, the couple married and have a daughter, 18 month old Katherine. -
“I never really thought about my liver…until it was the only thing I could think about.” Goldie Williams, a working mom, values time with her kids, raising money for social causes and organizing mutual aid drives in her community. At the beginning of 2022, she looked forward to diving wholeheartedly into these passion projects with some time off. However, she felt “off”. After extensive testing, Goldie was diagnosed with autoimmune hepatitis and was quickly listed for a liver transplant. Two weeks later she had a lifesaving liver transplant at CPMC in San Francisco, going home to her loving family days later. Goldie is grateful for her family, friends, and her medical team. “Every single day I’m thankful for my donor and my donor’s family for this incredible, selfless gift. As tribute to them, I spend my days loving life in new ways, and I will do my part to make this world a bit better.” -
Harleen (Leena) Sandhu immigrated from India as a toddler. Diagnosed with lupus at 16, her condition worsened while at Rutgers University. Ultimately, her kidneys failed, and she started dialysis. For five years Leena went through dialysis and was then diagnosed with thyroid cancer. She learned of the Living Donation process, ultimately finding her mother was a match. Leena received her mother's kidney in 1997 and her health was fully restored. Interested in health professions, Leena worked at the American Red Cross, and then in Medical Device Product Management. In 2015, the transplanted kidney failed, and Leena again faced dialysis. Four months later, Leena's match to a deceased organ donor led to a second transplant. Organ donation has given Leena a second chance at life twice. Leena has trekked through 30 countries and 41 states. She enjoys gardening, photography, and the outdoors, always mindful of the selfless decisions made by her mother and her organ donor. -
Hayden Schiller, a kind student from Vancouver, WA, graduated high school in 2020. Two weeks after graduation, he woke up with a blind spot in his eye and was diagnosed with AML Leukemia. Hayden spent the next 4 months in the hospital. After many very aggressive chemotherapy treatments and full body radiation, he received a successful stem cell transplant. His brother was his donor. Just days later, Hayden developed a staph infection that caused sepsis. All his major organs started to fail. Hayden slowly recovered, but two months later, excruciating pain in his knees prevented him from walking. Hayden was diagnosed with advanced osteonecrosis in both legs. He received two osteochondral allograft transplants in 2021. The whole experience humbled Hayden and his family, it made them appreciate life more and to take in every little moment. Hayden had separate anonymous donors for each leg. The knee surgeries made a remarkable difference, and he is now able to walk again. -
Jo Byrd was on the list for a kidney transplant for over five years. Though twenty people tested to be a donor, none of them were a match. Jo was going to have to go on dialysis. However, without Jo’s knowledge, a neighbor, Tom Dougall, was going through the testing process; he did not want her to be disappointed one more time. One day he called and said, “I need to come see you.” You can only imagine how stunned Jo was to hear that her neighbor was a match! The transplant was on March 2, 2020 in Augusta, Georgia before the pandemic hit. Tom was under anesthesia for seven hours due to Jo’s complications, however, the transplant was successful. Jo never received dialysis. Jo is now as healthy as can be and looks forward to active years ahead. She eagerly anticipates attending her grandchildren’s graduation and other celebrations. “I can never thank Tom enough.” -
Dr. Larry Yokoyama, a beloved family medical doctor in Bakersfield, California, developed uric acid stones years ago that blocked his right kidney, subsequently losing that kidney. Eventually his functional left kidney started failing. After years of hemodialysis, he was placed on the waiting list. On Christmas Eve, Dr. Yokoyama learned that a kidney was available for him. The transplant surgery was done at Cedars-Sinai during COVID19 restrictions, and his prayers were answered. Tammy Miller-McKeown became his hero after her death, caused by a blood clot. Hawaiian blessings overflow Dr. Yokoyama’s life as both families share a similar heritage. He says he is blessed by Tammy’s friends and family, and he is forever grateful for his life and the people he met through her. Dr. Yokoyama’s donor, Tammy, will also be honored on the float with a floragraph. “I stand here now as a testament to the good and the love that you can give with your signature.” -
At age seven, Lavender McKillip stopped growing. For the next seven years, she remained at a constant height of 4’9” and weight of 75 lbs. This was the first sign of liver disease. Diagnosis took years. Extensive testing led to Lavender being placed on the waitlist for a liver transplant. The amazing team at UCSF, 1.5 years of waiting, 8 hours of surgery, and 3 days in ICU, changed her life. “I do not know my donor family, and I cannot imagine the pain they felt losing a child, but I hope that wherever they are, they feel a little bit better knowing that their loss was not for nothing. Thanks to them, I’ve gotten another chance at life.” Graduating from high school next June, Lavender plans to do her best in inspiring others. “I’ll do everything I can to show everyone the value of donation. They saved my life, it’s only fair that I show people how to save others.” -
Olga and Ricardo were blessed with 28 years of marriage, living life to the fullest, with passions of boating, quad riding, camping and exploring. Olga was scheduled to have a gastric bypass surgery for rising health concerns, but Ricardo's diagnosis of cancer and treatments altered Olga's surgical plans. In 2009, Olga finally received her needed surgery and a new chapter started for this amazing couple, but life changed again, with the loss of her beloved Ricardo, her father and mother. Olga's health declined to a point close to death. Transferred to UCLA, recovering from a coma and intubation, she proved miracles happen, she began to respond to treatment and received a new kidney and liver. Olga now lives alone, travels and volunteers with OneLegacy, her church ministry, and feeding the hungry. She thanks her donor for saying "YES" and promises to live the best transplant life ever. Olga recently joined the waiting list for a new kidney. -
For Marcus Roberts—a football coach from Long Beach, California and family man who loved to cook and travel— a diagnosis with simultaneous congestive heart and renal failure came out of nowhere. A fit man, he’d been working out daily. Marcus experienced seven heart attacks before receiving his new heart and kidney in 2022. Serving eight years in the military with the U.S. Navy and Airforce, Marcus had seen or experienced a lot, but this pain and adversity was new. Marcus waited three years for a new heart. His team at Cedars-Sinai determined that a kidney transplant would also be necessary. He received one the following day. As someone who dedicated many years of his life in service to others—doing anything to help someone in need—Marcus struggled with his inability to help himself. He is eternally grateful to his donors and their families, enabling him to return to serving others with a new outlook of hope. -
Mary Louis is an energetic teacher from Baytown Texas. She learned that she had triple negative breast cancer--the most aggressive type of breast cancer-- affecting mostly young, pre-menopausal minority women. Traditional treatments are not effective. After chemotherapy and a bilateral mastectomy, she scheduled breast reconstruction surgery using an acellular dermal matrix, or donated skin grafts, for the procedure. This option improves the reconstruction outcome, and her surgical results are excellent. Mary is grateful for her new perspective on life, family, and her donor’s gift, which enabled her to feel whole again. As a registered donor, Mary feels honored to be on the receiving end of this cycle of giving. The experience prompted her to write to her donor’s family to express her gratitude. Today, Mary enjoys traveling, running again, speaking to small groups about her cancer journey, and using her story to encourage others to become organ and tissue donors. -
Martha Gonzalez de Vidal, grew up in a very hard working family in Mexico, learning values that helped her shape her life and profession, raising her family, and overcoming a year and a half battle of complications from COVID19. Martha attended Medical School in Mexico City, graduated, and married her loving husband, Raul, before moving to Houston, Texas. There, she cared for their two daughters and earned her degree as a nurse. She worked at the Harris County Hospital in research, and became a professor at the Baylor College of Medicine, before enrolling in the residency program at the University of Texas in Galveston. The family moved to California, where she established her practice in Obstetrics and Gynecology. On December 22, 2020, Martha tested positive for COVID19. She was hospitalized for five months, leading up to her receiving a lung transplant at Cedars Sinai. She has great gratitude to donors, her medical team, her family, and OneLegacy. -
Megan was born with a lust for life, involved in everything from a very young age including basketball, taekwondo, running, hiking, and biking. At age eight, Megan began exhibiting some concerning symptoms. The resulting diagnosis of dilated cardiomyopathy, a heart condition that makes it progressively more difficult for the heart to pump blood over time, changed her world to a state she can “best describe as the color gray”. To avoid strain on her heart, Megan was immediately pulled out of all sports activities and forced to avoid any strenuous physical activity, including school field trips, due to strain from too much walking. Thanks to the generosity of blood and organ donors, Megan was able to overcome heart failure with the miraculous, life-saving transplant at age 13. Megan once again takes every opportunity to live her life to the fullest, a life she now describes as “the color of sunshine, happiness.” -
Ricardo has always been a hardworking man. Always providing for his wife and three children, he never complained. Ricardo’s health started deteriorating, and by the time he found out he had kidney disease, his kidney function was down to 7%. It was scary for him and for all of his family. Ricardo’s siblings wanted to help out and got tested to become living donors. Yadira was a perfect match. She donated one of her kidneys to Ricardo. Yadira and Ricardo participated in a stem-cell research led by UCLA and funded by OneLegacy to transplant not only a kidney from a living donor onto a recipient, but also stem cells to “trick” Ricardo’s body into thinking that Yadira’s kidney was never transplanted onto another person. The transplant was successful, and Ricardo is doing great. Thanks to his transplant, he can go to the gym and coach his son’s soccer team. Since April 2022, he’s off of all anti-rejection medications. -
Ricky Oropeza, 52, is a heart transplant recipient, former business owner and father of three from Puerto Rico. His heart problems began in 2012, and Ricky was diagnosed with congestive heart failure in 2014. His health and personal life took a turn for the worse—he knew he needed to fight to stay alive, but he was watching his family fall apart. In 2018, Ricky went into cardiac arrest and was listed for transplant. He received the gift of life on October 8, 2022. Known as “the man who walks the hallways listening to salsa music,” Ricky is now mentoring other transplant patients and families as the navigate their own challenges along the transplant journey. Ricky would like to thank his donor family and the plethora of others that have helped him along the way. He hopes that by riding the Donate Life Rose Parade float, donor families can take comfort in knowing their gift saves lives. -
Xavier McLeod was born with a serious condition called Posterior Urethral Valves (an abnormality of the urethra) which resulted in chronic renal failure. Xavier endured numerous surgeries, spending many nights at Rady Children’s Hospital in San Diego, CA before the age of three. As he waited for a donor's kidney, Xavier required 10 hours of dialysis each night, growth hormone and anemia shots, and tube feedings. Two years later, Xavier’s life changed because of donor Sam McCrow’s gift. Xavier now enjoys playing drums and running track. He was named Youth Athlete of the Year at the Transplant Games of America. Sam’s sister Kaisa says “through loss and tragedy there are a lot of beautiful things that can happen.” Xavier’s family and the McCrow family are sharing this journey that has brought two families together. Miraculous milestones such as graduating high school bring tears of joy. Xavier promotes organ, eye and tissue donation by volunteering his time with Lifesharing.