Tag Archives: Donate Life California

16 Dec

Celebrating Donate Life’s Rose Parade Honorees

As we reach the end of the year, I find myself reflecting on what the Rose Parade has always symbolized to me: new beginnings. Since the Rose Parade happens on New Year’s Day, it serves as a reminder that every year brings fresh opportunities for hope, generosity, and connection. New beginnings happen for donors who give the gift of life, for donor families who honor their loved one’s wishes, and for recipients who receive another chance at life. Seeing the parade and meeting our float participants each year grounds me in our mission.

Ending the year by highlighting stories of hope and generosity feels especially important. It is easy to focus on the challenges around us, but these stories remind me that kindness is powerful and life-changing. I hope that as you read this blog, you feel encouraged to consider your own connection to donation. Occasionally, I like to ask those who are not registered, would you accept a donated organ if you needed one? It is good food for thought for anyone considering registering as an organ, eye, and tissue donor.

Spotlight on the Rose Parade Float

Donate Life’s Rose Parade Float

This year’s Rose Parade float invites us to come together and appreciate our everyday blessings. I believe this kind of shared gratitude can be an uplifting experience that gives us strength and inspiration. The Rose Parade is one of the most-watched events on television, and the opportunity to share Donate Life California’s mission and good work with millions of viewers is something we never take for granted.

The float, along with the walkers and riders who accompany it, represents real people and real miracles. Every individual featured on or alongside the float is a reminder that donation happens year-round. On New Year’s Day, we take a moment to honor a few of the many brave individuals whose lives have been changed by the selfless decision to say yes to donation.

Honoring Our DMV Heroes: Raquel Armstrong and Zeida Woods

This year, we are proud to honor two remarkable DMV employees who embody the courage, generosity, and impact of donation.

Zeida Woods

Raquel Armstrong, a living liver donor, saved her mother’s life in a moment when time was running out. What moved me most about her story was how close to death her mom became before she received the transplant. Raquel’s determination, love and advocacy speak to the heart of living donation. Her willingness to act brought her mother back to health and left her family with a legacy of strength.

Raquel Armstrong

Zeida Woods shares her story in memory of her brother, Carlos Giovanni Woods, who registered as a donor at just 18. When he died unexpectedly in a tragic accident, their mother made the courageous choice to honor his donation wishes. What resonates with me most is the strength it took to make that decision in the midst of profound grief. Carlos went on to save a life with his heart donation, and his legacy continues almost 30 years later.

This year, Carlos will be honored on our Rose Parade float with a floragraph, a floral portrait created entirely from natural materials. It is a beautiful and symbolic way to recognize donors whose gifts continue to ripple outward, long after their time on earth. Seeing his floragraph among the tributes reminds us all that one decision, made at any age, can change the world for another family.

Both of these stories remind me that caring people can work miracles. Simple answers in difficult situations can lead to a longer life, a marriage, a growing family, or simply the opportunity to enjoy everyday life. Hearing these stories makes me pause and be thankful for the blessings in my own life.

The Role of DMV Partners in Saving Lives

Our DMV partners interact with millions of Californians each year and are truly on the front lines of donation education. Nineteen point eight million Californians would not be registered without their help. DMV teams are part of our public relations efforts, our education efforts, and our mission in every sense. Recognizing DMV employees on the float this year is a small way to say thank you for the tremendous impact they have made. Since 95 percent of donor registrations come through the DMV, their work is essential to every life saved.

Looking Ahead with Hope and Purpose

As we enter the new year, I am filled with hope. I know Californians are generous, caring people. I look forward to hearing more stories and meeting more individuals who demonstrate the everyday heroism found in organ, eye and tissue donation. In the coming months, I hope to continue conversations about our College Education Programs and the option to register on California Income Tax Forms.

The new year is a fresh start. As you watch the Rose Parade, I invite you to take a moment to support and encourage each other, not only in donation but in everyday life. If you have questions or topics you would like to see in future blogs, please reach out. I look forward to sharing more on the first Wednesday of each month as we continue this important journey together.

For more information about Donate Life California, please visit www.donateLIFEcalifornia.org or in Spanish at www.doneVIDAcalifornia.org.

05 Nov

By
Amber Bosworth

in
CEO Blog

A Transparent Look at Organ Donation in California

Jim Martin, Chief Executive Officer of Donate Life California

It has been a while since Donate Life California has shared directly from our leadership team. As CEO, I want to open the doors again to conversations, to questions, and to the incredible stories that remind us why this mission matters.

It was more important than ever to restart this blog because of several recent articles that have spread misinformation and doubt among the public. I want to be proactive in sharing valuable information and creating a platform where people can ask questions and receive clear, factual answers.

Questions can be asked and answered here. While I personally hope every Californian will register as a donor and help save lives, I understand that not everyone shares the same beliefs or experiences. This is a space for dialogue. I will share facts about organ, eye, and tissue donation, and I trust readers to make the decisions that are right for them and their families.

I am a person and a public servant, working through our nonprofit, Donate Life California, who cares deeply about improving my community and making progress in public health issues such as organ donation, diabetes, hypertension, and obesity.

Facing Challenges with Transparency

It was disappointing to see the negative media coverage about organ donation in recent months. From what I have learned, those articles did not consider all the available facts. When the stories came out, many Californians asked to be removed from the donor registry in response. By the time the full details and context emerged, the damage had already been done.

One of the reports that contributed to this confusion was covered in Newsweek, which highlighted how national reporting can unintentionally affect public perception.

As an organization, we are taking that seriously. We will update our Donate Life California website regularly, allowing Californians to see what we do and how we work to increase the number of registered donors. We work hard every day to bring about positive change, but the public has not always had the visibility they deserve into our efforts and outcomes.

People are smart. They are not going to believe us if we only paint a rosy picture of donation without acknowledging the real-world challenges that exist. Transparency adds credibility to the conversation and helps Donate Life California serve as a fair and balanced resource for information. We are open to discussion, fact-finding, and honest dialogue, acknowledging that not everyone comes from the same background or community.

A New Era of Education and Advocacy

One of the most exciting developments this year has been the passage of Assembly Bill 466, legislation that allows Donate Life California to expand our education efforts to college campuses.

Fewer and fewer teenagers are getting their driver’s licenses these days. To provide more consistent public education and increase donor registrations, we are reaching out to students in the CSU, UC, and California Community College systems. When adults are learning and planning for their futures, we want them to have the facts about donation so they can make informed decisions for themselves.

Students and young adults are the future of California. As they grow into independence, they can consider donation as part of their personal health choices and family conversations. With nearly 40 million people in California and only 19.7 million registered donors, there is a tremendous opportunity to save thousands of lives through the gift of donation.

If you want to understand the current scope of need, take a look at California’s organ transplant waiting list. It shows how many of our neighbors are waiting for a life-saving transplant.

I truly wish there were no transplant waiting list, and every day I come to work facing that challenge with hope and optimism.

Looking Ahead

Each month, on the first Wednesday, this blog will share updates about current events, legislative efforts, partnerships, and the incredible champions across our state who make donation possible. I will also use this space to share ideas, progress, and the questions we hear from our community.

If you have a question or topic you would like me to address, please send us an email at info@donatelifecalifornia.org. We will be creating a Q&A section to address the most frequently asked questions we receive.

I believe in the giving nature of Californians and their desire to be good neighbors and supportive community members. Ask your questions, help us save lives if you would like, and consider us your resource for balanced, factual information about donation.

Together, we can keep this meaningful conversation going and continue building trust, one story at a time.

For more information about Donate Life California, please visit www.donateLIFEcalifornia.org or in Spanish at www.doneVIDAcalifornia.org.

25 Jun

By
Administrator

in
News

Living Loud, Living Fully: Carswell’s Life After Kidney Transplant

For Carswell, life has always been about navigating challenges with heart and finding joy and identity in the spaces between. As a trans, bisexual kidney transplant recipient, Carswell embodies what it means to live fully and unapologetically. This Pride Month, we’re honored to share their story: one of resilience, creativity, and the transformative power of organ donation.

Diagnosed at age six with primary hyperoxaluria, a rare genetic condition that damages the kidneys and liver, Carswell spent much of their childhood living what felt like a “normal” life. “When you’re diagnosed young, you don’t really think about your life as different,” they shared. “It’s just your life.”

But in March 2020, everything changed. Carswell’s kidneys had failed, and they were placed on dialysis three times a week. At the same time, they were enrolled in a clinical trial that offered hope, but only after confirmation that they had been receiving the placebo did they finally gain access to the real treatment.

It helped. But the journey wasn’t easy.

Carswell experienced setbacks and complications, including a rare virus, time off the transplant list, and physical exhaustion. “I was a slug in my own life,” they said. “Sleeping, doing the bare minimum. I couldn’t do the things I loved.”

But on April 8, 2022, after years of uncertainty, a call came in: a kidney was available. The transplant took place the next day. “It was a whirlwind,” they recalled. “We had to call my mom, grab our bags, tell everyone. I was just about to leave dialysis when they told me. It felt surreal.”

A Return to the Stage—and Self

Carswell’s life after transplant hasn’t been without challenges, but it’s come with more freedom, connection, and creativity.

A passionate performer and storyteller, Carswell has always found joy in theater and writing. “There’s something about the connection on stage, you don’t get that anywhere else,” they shared. After the transplant, they enrolled in community college, began studying film, and started dreaming big again.

Though they had to step back from a recent role, Carswell treasures every performance. “One of my best friends played my sister. Her character died, and I had to scream and cry over her, and we kept trying not to laugh the entire time. It was beautiful.”

Pride, Identity & Choosing to Live Boldly

As someone who identifies as trans and bisexual, Pride Month carries deep significance for Carswell. “Pride is both a celebration and a recognition of how far we’ve come and how far we still have to go,” they said. “It’s about not being silenced. About saying, we’re here, we’re queer, and we’re not going anywhere.”

They see clear parallels between their medical journey and their identity journey. “Transplant forced me to reclaim control over my life. So did transitioning. Both have made me more vocal, more honest, and more focused on the life I want to live.”

The Power of Organ Donation

“The last three years have been the most joyous of my life,” Carswell said. “That’s only because I was able to receive a kidney. It didn’t fix everything, but it gave me the chance to try.”

That chance to live, to love, to create is the very gift that donation makes possible.

Be the Reason Someone Gets Their Second Act

During Pride Month and beyond, we celebrate people like Carswell who remind us that every life is worthy, every story matters, and every “yes” to do

nation creates a ripple of hope.

You can be part of that ripple.

👉 Register today at www.donateLIFEcalifornia.org
👉 Talk to your family about your decision
👉 Share your story to inspire others

Because someone like Carswell is out there, waiting for their spotlight, their story, and their second chance.