Donor Network West Announces Its 2026 Rose Parade Honorees, Marking 17 Years of Participation in the Iconic New Year's Day Celebration

Watched by millions worldwide each year, the Rose Parade showcases the Donate Life float—spotlighting the strength, resilience and generosity of the organ donation community.

SAN RAMON, Calif., Dec. 3, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Donor Network West is proud to announce seven inspiring individuals, representing communities across northern California and northern Nevada, who will be honored at the 137th Rose Parade® in Pasadena, California, on New Year's Day. As one of the longest-standing partners of the Donate Life Rose Parade Float, the organization will once again honor organ transplant recipients and organ donor heroes at the parade Jan. 1, 2026. This year marks Donor Network West's 17th year of partnership in celebrating individuals and families touched by the gift of life.

"More than a cherished tradition, Donor Network West's support of the Donate Life float serves as an opportunity to share stories that resonate far beyond the flowers, parade route and fanfare," said Janice Whaley, PhD., president and CEO of Donor Network West. "Every story we share at the Rose Parade represents a life forever changed. Our honorees remind the world that donation is not simply a medical act, it is a profound human one. Through their and their loved one's voices and stories, we see the true meaning of legacy, compassion and second chances."

Organ transplant recipients will ride on the Donate Life Float, representing the power of organ, eye and tissue donation. Organ donor heroes will be memorialized on the float with "floragraphs," floral portraits made from organic materials, in recognition of the lives they saved and healed through donation.

In collaboration with its partner hospitals, Donor Network West will send the following organ transplant recipients and their families to Pasadena, California to participate in the 2026 Rose Parade. Honorees are listed in order of their hometowns:

Damita Barbee from Antioch, California: double-lung recipient, donation ambassador
Damita was thriving in her financial services career when she unexpectedly began experiencing breathing difficulties and was later diagnosed with pulmonary fibrosis, a disease that damages lung tissue. She was placed on the national transplant waiting list for a double-lung transplant in 2010 and wished for new lungs on every birthday. In 2014, just six days before her birthday, she received the call that a match had been found. Since her successful transplant, Damita has volunteered as a Donor Network West ambassador, educating her community about the impact of organ, eye and tissue donation and supporting others living with pulmonary fibrosis. Her participation in the parade will be co-sponsored by UCSF Health.

Lauren Martelle from Reno, Nevada: liver transplant recipient, donation advocate
Lauren was 19 when she was diagnosed with Budd-Chiari syndrome, a rare and life-threatening condition caused by blood clots in the liver. After months of worsening health, she was placed on the national transplant waiting list in 2007 and received a lifesaving liver transplant at Sutter's California Pacific Medical Center just one week later. The gift of renewed health allowed her to graduate from the University of Nevada, Reno, marry the love of her life and embrace the joy of becoming an aunt. Her experience navigating both the uncertainty and hope of her transplant journey inspired her to advocate for donation. She now volunteers as a Donor Network West ambassador and serves on the board of Sierra Nevada Donor Awareness. Her parade participation is also sponsored by Sutter's California Pacific Medical Center.

Christian Gomez from Watsonville, California: two-time liver transplant recipient, first gift of life from mom
Christian was born at 34 weeks, weighing just 3 pounds, 11 ounces, and was soon diagnosed with biliary atresia, a chronic liver disease. As his condition worsened, a transplant became his only chance of survival, and at 9 months old, he received the gift of life from his mother, Maria Gomez, who donated a portion of her liver that enabled him to thrive for 17 years. When liver issues returned, Christian was placed on the national transplant waiting list in 2024. After a year of waiting, he received a second transplant May 2, 2025—giving him another chance at a longer, healthier life and the opportunity to pursue his dreams.

Donor Network West will bring the families of the following organ donors to Pasadena, California to participate in the Rose Parade festivities and see their loved ones' floragraphs featured on the Donate Life Float. Individuals are listed in order of their hometowns:

Patrice Sanders from Madera, California: beloved nurse furthers legacy of giving
Patrice, a longtime pediatric nurse, is remembered for her generosity, dedication and profound impact on families throughout her 37 years in the emergency department and pediatric ICU. Known for compassionately guiding parents through organ donation decisions and creating handprint quilts to honor children who passed, she continued her legacy of giving after suffering a stroke on June 13, 2024, by fulfilling her final wish to become an organ donor. Her donation saved lives, including a kidney recipient.

Scott McGreevy from San Francisco, California: third-generation San Franciscan, generous spirit
Scott was a third-generation San Franciscan remembered for his compassion, quick wit, vibrant smile and generous spirit that touched everyone he met. He carried his love for his city wherever he went—cheering on the San Francisco 49ers and Giants, and proudly standing outside the ballpark during the Giants' championship years with his face painted orange and black and a handmade sign reading, "I need a ticket!" Though his life ended too soon at age 32, his legacy as an organ donor endures. He saved the lives of three people through the donation of his kidneys and liver, and his lungs contributed to medical research.

Andrew Bedard from Saratoga, California: young donor, San Jose Earthquakes superfan
In 2004, just days before his ninth birthday, Andrew died suddenly from a ruptured aneurysm. Known for his love of animals, his devotion to the San Jose Earthquakes and his positivity on and off the soccer field, he is remembered for the joy he shared with others. His family chose to say yes to organ donation, saving the lives of people in need, and later met his liver recipient, who had spent more than seven years on the national transplant waiting list searching for a rare match. Andrew's legacy continues through the San Jose Earthquakes' "Spirit of the Game Award," established in 2008 to honor a player each year who reflects his uplifting spirit and commitment to community.

Peter Lee from Sparks, Nevada: local organ donor hero, beloved husband and father
Peter lived a life defined by a boundless sense of wonder and a deep love for healing, knowledge and connection. A beloved presence in the Grateful Dead community, he attended more than 450 shows as a traveling crew member, explored Native American traditions, and worked as a jade miner and carver in the jungles of Guatemala. His lifelong devotion to giving carried through to the very end, when he offered the ultimate gift of life by donating his liver and other tissue, which saved and healed many. Peter's greatest joy was his family; he is survived by his wife, Amy, and three sons, Graham, Forrest and Khosh, who carry forward his wisdom and life-giving legacy.

The need for more organ donors is great, particularly across Donor Network West's service area in northern California and northern Nevada. More than 20,000 Californians and nearly 700 Nevadans are currently on the organ transplant waiting list. Anyone can register to be an organ donor. To learn more and to register as an organ donor, visit DonorNetworkWest.org.

— @MyDNWest —

Media note: Donor Network West representatives, donor families and transplant recipients are available for media interviews; honorees' photos are available for download here. Please contact Jena Esposito, [email protected], 702-513-0606, to arrange interviews ahead of the parade.

Media interested in virtual interviews from Pasadena, California, between Dec. 29-31, 2025, may contact E'Tiffany Jones, vice president of marketing and communications for Donor Network West, [email protected], 510-427-0371

About Donor Network West

Donor Network West saves and heals lives by facilitating organ and tissue recovery for transplantation and research. Established in 1987, Donor Network West is designated and certified by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, accredited by the American Association of Tissue Banks (AATB), is a member of the Organ Donation Alliance and is an official Donate Life organization. Donor Network West is federally designated to serve 45 counties in northern California and northern Nevada, Donor Network West partners with the Department of Motor Vehicles and the state-authorized donor registries to help increase donor registration. For information, visit www.DonorNetworkWest.org and follow us on social media: @mydnwest.

MEDIA CONTACT
Jena Esposito | KPS3
[email protected] | 702-513-0606

SOURCE Donor Network West