Donor Network West

🚨 Our Latest Newsletter is LIVE 🚨 Read the full newsletter here: donornetworkwest.org/wp-cont… We're finishing October with amazing Día de los Muertos ofrendas across our donation service area and gearing up for a phenomenal National Donor Sabbath on Thursday, November 12th. October was packed with celebrations, including observances like Healthy Lung Month, National Liver Awareness Month, and National Hispanic Heritage Month. Come see how we celebrated the gift of life all October long and get ready for a November full of faith, gratitude and action! #DonorNetworkWest #DonateLife #DoneVida #OrganDonation

Some people give in ways that stay with us. Dr. Charles “Chuck” Rickert has done it twice. 💚 In 2008, while still in medical school, he heard a radio discussion about organ donation. That conversation led him to donate a kidney to a complete stranger and helped inspire his career as a transplant surgeon at the University of California, San Francisco. After helping hundreds of patients through transplant surgery, he chose to give again. This time, he donated part of his liver to another stranger. "My life has been so enriched by others,” he told NBC Bay Area. His wish is to pass that generosity along. For patients waiting for a transplant and the families who love them, stories like his offer something precious: hope. Behind every living donation is a person choosing to help someone have more time, more possibilities, and more life to share. What an extraordinary gift. 🔹Source: NBC Bay Area, reporting by Garvin Thomas, “UCSF surgeon has spent his career transplanting organs. He’s also donated two.” #DonateLife #DonorNetworkWest #UCSF #NBCBayArea

One gift. Two miracles. A lifetime of memories. Two years ago, Roberto received a lifesaving kidney transplant from a hero organ donor, giving him a second chance at life. But the miracle did not stop there. Roberto and his wife, Jessica, had accepted that they would not have any more children because of his chronic medical condition. Then, one year after his transplant, they received unexpected news: they were expecting another baby boy. Today, their family is filled with love, with 8-year-old Leo and 10-month-old Lucas by their side. Roberto’s story is a powerful reminder that one person’s decision to donate can change countless lives and create moments that families never thought possible. ESPAÑOL Un regalo. Dos milagros. Recuerdos para toda la vida. Hace dos años, Roberto recibió un trasplante de riñón que le salvó la vida, gracias a un héroe donante de órganos, lo que le dio una segunda oportunidad en la vida. Pero el milagro no se quedó ahí. Roberto y su esposa, Jessica, habían aceptado que no tendrían más hijos debido a la enfermedad crónica de él. Entonces, un año después de su trasplante, recibieron una noticia inesperada: esperaban otro niño. Hoy, su familia está llena de amor, con Leo, de 8 años, y Lucas, de 10 meses, a su lado. La historia de Roberto es un poderoso recordatorio de que la decisión de una sola persona de donar puede cambiar innumerables vidas y crear momentos que las familias nunca creyeron posibles. Register as an organ, eye and tissue donor and give the gift of life: donornetworkwest.org/shareab… #DoneVida #DonateLife #DonorNetworkWest

Observed annually from September 15 – October 15, National Hispanic Heritage Month is a great time to celebrate and honor the generosity of Hispanic donors and their families, while also underscoring the critical need for people from this diverse community to register as organ, eye and tissue donors. Myths regarding donation continue to be major barriers preventing many Hispanics from becoming registered donors and therefore, can add to the reluctance of joining the organ donation registry. The need is great. Of the over 20,000 Californians on the organ transplant waiting list, 44 percent of the Californians waiting are Hispanic. Like other minorities, Hispanics have the best chance of a successful organ transplant if the donor is of the same ethnic background. We invite you to explore, utilize and share these National Hispanic Heritage Month materials within your communities and help Donor Network West spread the awareness about our life-saving mission. Download our Shareables here: donornetworkwest.org/shareab… #NationalHispanicHeritageMonth

We are 2 days away; two days away from honoring and celebrating the two incredible groups of people that make organ donation and transplantation possible for transplant recipients everywhere. Join us as we transform Woodward Park into Purpose Park, and stride in honor of the donor heroes who have saved countless lives, their families who carry their legacy, and the transplant recipients who carry that living legacy with them. 📍 Shakespeare Field, Woodward Park, Fresno, CA ⏰September 26th | 7:30 AM - Doors Open and On-Site Registration Begins 🏞️ Purpose Park like never before, in honor of donor heroes 🌮 Food and Drink Vendors after the 5K 🎟️ Get your tickets tonight: raceroster.com/events/2026/1… #StrideForHope #DonorNetworkWest #MyDNWest #RunWalk

Deepti’s First Run/Walk 💙💚 Take a moment to read the beautiful article Deepti, our new ambassador, wrote about her experience at her very first Run-Walk. It’s deeply moving and such a powerful reminder of the impact we can make simply by showing up, taking that first step, and being there for one another. Thank you, Deepti, for sharing your story and reminding us why what we do matters. Deepti's words: medium.com/@baheldeepti/a-5k… #DonorNetworkWest #DonateLife #StrideForHope #RunWalk

🎟️ In 3 Days, We Stride for Hope on Saturday One Stride after another for donor heroes, their families, and the transplant recipients who honor those gifts. 📍 Rancho San Ramon Community Park - 1998 Rancho Park Loop, San Ramon, CA 94582 ⏰ September 12th | 7:30 AM - Doors Open and On-Site Registration Begins 🏃🏽‍♀️‍➡️ NEW 5K Run/Walk Path and Park 🏞️ Purpose Park like never before, in honor of donor heroes 🌮 Food and Drink Vendors after the 5K 🎟️ Get your tickets today: raceroster.com/events/2026/1… #MyDNWest #DonorNetworkWest #DonateLife #DoneVida

This Labor Day, Donor Network West recognizes the dedication of our team members, healthcare partners, volunteers, and community advocates whose work helps make organ, eye, and tissue donation possible. Thank you for your continued commitment to saving and healing lives throughout Northern California and Northern Nevada. Wishing everyone a safe and restful Labor Day! #LaborDay #DonorNetworkWest #MyDNWest #DonateLife #DoneVida

We're nearly three weeks away from the Annual Stride for Hope 5K Run/Walk at our BRAND NEW LOCATION! We'll transform one of the Bay Area's best parks: Rancho San Ramon Community Park, into Purpose Park and an amazing 5K Run/Walk route to honor donor heroes, transplant recipients, and the incredible medical professionals and organizations that ensure the #GiftOfLife is available to our neighbors of all walks of life. We're so excited for you to join us, please find all details you'll need for an amazing Run/Walk below! 📍Rancho San Ramon Community Park - 1998 Rancho Park Loop, San Ramon, CA, 94582 ⏱️ 7:30 AM - Doors Open and On-Site Registration Begins 🏃🏾‍♂️ NEW 5K Run/Walk Path and Park 🏞️ Purpose Park like never before in honor of donor heroes 🥙 Food and Drink Vendors after the 5K Get your tickets and learn more, here: loom.ly/MJaeJS4 #RunWalk #StrideForHope #DonorNetworkWest #MyDNWest

📣 BIG ANNOUNCEMENT! 📣 CALIFORNIA’s DONOR REGISTRY HITS 20-MILLION! That’s how many people have checked the “yes” box at the DMV since the registry started. (Whoa…. That’s a lot of pink dots!) . #donatelife #donevida #milestone #pinkdots

This August, Donor Network West had the privilege of hosting Volunteers in Asia, introducing medical students from Asia who are exploring a wide range of social issues through the lens of healthcare. These outstanding medical students had the opportunity to tour our clinical facility in San Ramon and learn all about the facilitation and processes of the #GiftOfLife: organ, eye, and tissue donation, by way of learning stations, and listening directly to our Donor Network West and #DonateLife Ambassadors, transplant recipients whose lives were dramatically improved by the donations they received. In the future, these educational tours will take place in our new home, and we're so excited to continue to find innovative ways to educate the world about organ, eye, and tissue donation. To learn more about the gift of life, click here: donornetworkwest.org/about-d… #MyDNWest #DonorNetworkWest

We are one month away from the annual Stride for Hope Run/Walk in our brand-new San Ramon location and beautiful Woodland Park in Fresno, and we're so excited to invite you into our growing community. Please take a moment to meet Summer Eyo, mother of Tyree Jackson, a young man full of life and love who became a donor hero after his passing and inspired thousands. After losing his stepfather to a car accident in 2021, Tyree was spurred to action to become an organ donor at age 20. In 2022, Tyree passed away in a pedestrian accident just before Thanksgiving. Donor Network West facilitated the donation of his major organs, including his heart, kidneys, liver, and pancreas, which saved the lives of four individuals awaiting life-saving transplants on the national organ transplant waiting list. Tyree's passion for helping others has lived on through all who loved him. In 2023, Summer rallied friends and family to honor her son by participating in the Annual Stride for Hope Run/Walk, and together, Team #BeLikeTyree raised the highest amount of any participating team at over $8,000. In 2024, the team surpassed their previous record, raising nearly $13,000 to support those impacted by organ, eye, and tissue donation. In 2025, #BeLikeTyree went on to raise another unbelievable $15,000 for organ, eye, and tissue donation. Summer Eyo & Tyree Jackson, alongside all of their family and friends, have made an everlasting mark on those waiting in hope for a second chance. We would be honored to have you meet more donor families and living inspirations like Summer, and those saved and inspired by donor heroes like Tyree Jackson, at our Run/Walks. Please join us on Saturday, September 12th, in San Ramon, CA, or on September 26th in Fresno, CA. We can't wait to meet you or see you again. Learn all about the Stride for Hope Run/Walk and register in San Ramon or Fresno here: donornetworkwest.org/get-inv… #StrideForHope #DonorNetworkWestFoundation #FoundationRunWalk

"The transplant games are a way for me to interact and compete with those who have similar scars and experiences as I do; it allows me to embrace what makes me unique in the best way possible. Competing at a high level shows me that there are no boundaries to what you can and cannot do with a transplant. Growing up, my family and close friends never treated me any differently because of my transplant; I was a “normal” kid able to do anything I set my mind to." - Miya French This National Multiethnic Awareness Month, we're proud to celebrate Miya French, a Japanese-American swimming star who competed at the collegiate level at CSU East Bay after receiving a liver transplant. Miya competes at the Transplant Games of America and the World Transplant Games each year the competition is available to show the world how far a transplant can go and how she can live what she describes as an amazing "normal" life. Although Miya's second chance has given her the space to experience the normalcy that all human beings deserve, what she's done with that second chance is far from normal, and beyond extraordinary, Learn more about National Multiethnic Donor Awareness Month, here: donornetworkwest.org/shareab… #NationalMultiEthnicDonorAwarenessMonth #NationalMinorityDonorAwarenessMonth #DonorNetworkWest #MyDNWest

It's hard to find a moment more special than what we just experienced at Greater Nevada Field this past Friday on August 7th. Griffin Thompson-Crew attended a 2025 Reno Aces game that featured our Home Run For Life ceremony in partnership with the Reno Aces, when he was 8 years old and decided he wanted to become an official organ donor. Just two days after receiving his organ donor children’s identification card, Griffin was unexpectedly diagnosed with Parainfluenza, a disease that ultimately led to his passing. In the midst of a devastating event, the realization of Griffin's decision to become an organ donor saved the lives of three people, and we are honored to celebrate Griffin and that decision tonight

National Multiethnic Donor Awareness Month, observed annually in August, is a collaborative initiative to save and enhance the lives of diverse communities by promoting a positive culture around organ, eye, and tissue donation. By focusing on African American/Black, Hispanic/Latinx, Asian Pacific Islander, and American Indian/Alaskan Native communities, this observance brings heightened awareness to the importance of donation and transplantation in multiethnic contexts. More than 100,000 people are waiting for lifesaving organ transplants. Nearly 60% of the national transplant waiting list are from multiethnic communities. Help us drive that awareness throughout our communities and yours by utilizing our toolkits across all social media platforms, Zoom, and more! Link to website: donornetworkwest.org/shareab… #NationalMultiethnicDonorAwarenessMonth #NMDAM #MyDNWest #DonorNetworkWest #DonateLife #DoneVida

On April 17th, Phillip Teresi of KMJ NOW in Fresno took the time last weekend to sit down with our Donor Network West Staff and Ambassadors during this Donate Life Month to share how impactful the #GiftOfLife is within the community of Fresno, their personal lives, and what Donor Network West is doing in the Central Valley to push forward organ, eye, and tissue donation and transplantation. You can listen to the full podcast episode on one of your preferred platforms linked below: Spotify: loom.ly/N6si1jw Apple Podcasts: loom.ly/k15EueA Omny.fm: loom.ly/iFyXBb8 #NationalDonateLifeMonth #DonorNetworkWest #MyDNWest

When we educate our diverse communities about organ, eye and tissue donation, many of our community members are suprised at the incredible #GiftOfLife that tissue donation is, and how these donations also heals lives and lead to better health overtime. What isn't included in the amazing 2,910 tissue donors who healed lives across our service area, are the babies who entered the world as heroes alongside their mothers. Our Birth Tissue Donation program was introduced in early 2025, led by Matt Graves, our Vice President of Tissue and Donor Operations, allowing mothers to donate their placenta following childbirth, a decision that 397 amazing mothers said YES to, as they received one of their greatest gifts of all. These tissues, which are typically discarded after delivery, can instead be donated for transplantation, research and education. Alongside these incredible mothers, our communities across Northern Nevada and Northern California chose at large to give the gift of healing to their neightbors, by saying yes to tissue donation. If you wish to learn more about tissue donation, please click here: donornetworkwest.org/about-d… #MyDNWest #DonorNetworkWest #DonateLife #DoneVida

This year, on Valentine's Day and National Donor Day at The Conservatory in San Francisco, Donor Network West Foundation will have the honor and privilege of celebrating the incredible work of our amazing colleagues across the 170 hospital partners and transplant centers we serve alongside in our mission at the Heart of Hope Gala. The award winners have been selected from an amazing group of life-saving heroes, and the list proceeds as follows: Mary Kjosness - Heart of Hope Award John Muir Health Walnut Creek Medical Center Salinas Valley ICU / OR Team - Hands of Healing Award Salinas Valley Health Medical Center Dr. Arash Afshinnik - Industry Partner Award Community Regional Medical Center Derrick Glum - Caring Heart Award Saint Mary's Regional Medical Center Shannon Yrigoyen - Teresa Shafer Award Sutter Health / California Pacific Medical Center Lisa Bradshaw - Beacon of Hope Award Grissom's Chapel & Mortuary Inc. Dr. Chris Freise - Dedication of Giving Award UCSF Health Gerri James - Champion of Compassion Award Stanford Medicine Children's Health President's Award Winner: Dr. Ryan Howard Kaweah Health Julie Ann Madirossian San Ramon Regional Medical Center Dr. Moussa Yazbeck John Muir Health Walnut Creek Guests will enjoy a night of inspiration and recognition as we present these prestigious awards, celebrating extraordinary contributions to the donation and transplantation community. More than a gala, Heart of Hope is a heartfelt fundraiser that fuels our mission to save and heal lives—one donor, one recipient, and one act of hope at a time. #MyDNWest #DonorNetworkWest #DonateLife #DoneVida #HeartOfHope #HeartOfHopeGala #DonorNetworkWestFoundation

In 2025, Donor Network West, alongside our transplant centers and hospital partners across Northern California and Northern Nevada, facilitated the #GiftOfLife from 465 donor heroes who said YES to donation, and whose lives we honor alongside their donor families. Those 465 donors are honored by the 1,269 organs transplanted and 1,114 recipients across our donation service area who received those gifts, leading to a second chance at life. Each gift saved and healed a life. These successes are only possible and are a testament to collaboration in organ, eye, and tissue donation and transplantation, as we work with transplant centers and over 170 hospitals to coordinate the donation and transplantation of life-saving organs throughout Northern California and Northern Nevada. Stay tuned this week as we continue to break down the incredible generosity, collaboration, and gift-giving love that runs throughout our donation service area and the communities that thrive within them. Learn more about donation, here: loom.ly/MIOe-Og #MyDNWest #DonorNetworkWest #DonateLife #DoneVida

✨ The countdown is on — just one month to go✨ Our 2026 Heart of Hope Gala takes place on February 14 ❤️. While nominations have closed, a limited number of seats are still available. Join us for an unforgettable evening of hope, impact, and celebration. 💙💚 🎟️ Secure your seat today before they’re gone: loom.ly/50Hhk6o #DonorNetworkWestFoundation #MyDNWest #DonorNetworkWest #DonateLife #DoneVida #HeartofHopeGala