Sierra Donor Services

06/23/2026

In a few months, Kevin, Nalisa and their daughter, Stori, will be heading off to Disney World, and Kevin will celebrate one year into his second chance at life.

This will be the first vacation the family has been able to take in a long time. That's because up until Kevin's kidney transplant, his family's life revolved around his dialysis treatments.

In 2023, Kevin was diagnosed with end-stage renal failure and would eventually need treatment up to 20 hours a week. Stori was his big helper, checking for bruises on his body and working any of the dozens of buttons required to run the machines. On weekend nights, when Stori could stay up past her usual bedtime, dialysis time became bonding time.

Kevin was eventually placed on the national transplant waiting list, and friends and family underwent testing to potentially become his living donor. Nalisa's sister, Shaneé, shared Kevin's rare blood type and was a match! In July 2025, Kevin and Shaneé underwent successful surgeries at VCU Health Hume-Lee Transplant Center. 💙💚

"I’m living proof that living-donor transplants not only saved my life, but my family’s lives as well. I’m definitely going to make sure I do everything that I need to do to keep myself healthy, so I can be around here for another 40 or 50 years. I have way too much to live for.” ~Kevin, liver recipient

Thank you to Kevin and his family and VCU Health for this story!

Make a lasting impact. Sign up to be an organ, eye and tissue donor at SierraDonor.org.

06/22/2026

Beverly Kearney-Ybarra was a passionate LGBTQ+ advocate who dedicated her life to supporting and uplifting others in her community, even organizing Dixon's first Pride event in 2018. 🏳️‍🌈💙💚

She is remembered for being a social butterfly, always standing up against bullies and caring for those who wanted to love freely.

After experiencing a brain aneurysm in 2023, Beverly became a donor hero, continuing her legacy of love by saving lives through donation.

"She was such a large voice and a large presence... those are going to be some really large shoes to fill." ~Renee Ybarra, Beverly's wife

Leave a lasting legacy. Sign up to be an organ, eye and tissue donor at SierraDonor.org.

06/21/2026

This Father's Day, we honor the incredible love and strength of all dads touched by organ, eye and tissue donation. 💙💚

Whether you're a father who made the selfless decision to say yes to donation, one who held onto hope for his child or one who's been given a second chance at life, your courage and compassion inspire us all!

Give the gift of love and life. Register to be an organ, eye and tissue donation at SierraDonor.org.

06/19/2026

On June 19, we recognize Juneteenth, honoring the day in 1865 when freedom finally reached the last enslaved African Americans in Galveston, Texas. This day is both a celebration of resilience and a call to action.

Sierra Donor Services stands in solidarity with efforts to eliminate disparities in donation and transplantation. Black Americans make up 13% of the U.S. population, but 27% of those are waiting for an organ transplant. Your decision to register as an organ, eye and tissue donor can help save lives and bring hope to those waiting for a lifesaving transplant.

This Juneteenth, join us in reflecting, uplifting and recommitting to a future where every life has an equal chance. ❤️💚💛🖤

"Increasing organ donation in minority communities is not just about numbers – it's about saving lives and giving hope to families." ~Dr. Velma Scantlebury, the first African American female transplant surgeon

Thank you to the Association for Multicultural Affairs in Transplantation for sharing this message!

Make an impact today. Sign up to be a donor at SierraDonor.org.

06/18/2026

Donor heroes make the selfless decision to save lives through organ, eye and tissue donation every day. 💙💚

Each donor hero has a story to tell, and we would be honored to share their legacy on our Virtual Donor Memorial Wall.

Submit your loved one's story at https://sierradonor.org/family-and-recipient-support/celebrations-memorials/donor-wall/

06/17/2026

Donor Heroes make the selfless decision to be a light of hope and healing to those waiting for lifesaving transplants every day.

We are honored to celebrate their heroic legacies.

Donor Tribute: Eric Seneker

"My dad lived a life defined by quiet strength, compassion and generosity. He was the kind of person who showed up—for his family, his friends and anyone who needed him. He didn’t seek recognition for the good he did; he simply believed in doing what was right. Even in his passing, that spirit of giving did not end. Through the donation of his corneas, my dad gave someone else the gift of sight—the chance to see loved ones, to experience the beauty of the world and to live life more fully. There is something incredibly powerful in knowing that a part of him continues on in such a meaningful way. In a time of deep loss, that gift has also brought a sense of comfort and purpose to our family. It reflects who he was at his core—someone who gave without hesitation and loved without limits."

Give the gift of life. Register to be an organ, eye and tissue donor at DonateLifeCalifornia.org.

Our Mission: Donate Life California saves lives by inspiring people to sign up with the state organ and tissue donor registry. Sign Up Today!

06/16/2026

We have another episode of Ms. Wanda's Full Circle for you! 🎧

Shawntay Gorman McBrewer shares her family's journey through fear, uncertainty and hope as her son, Malachi, fought for his life following a heart transplant. Discover how the gift of organ donation gave their family a second chance. 💙💚

Listen to this episode of Full Circle at https://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/iammswanda/episodes/A-Mothers-Fight--A-Sons-Second-Chance-The-Gift-of-Life-e3krn25/a-acndub6

Tomorrow on Full Circle...

A mother's worst nightmare became reality when Shawntay Gorman McBrewer watched her son Malachi fight for his life.

After receiving a new heart, complications during surgery left Malachi in a coma. Shawntay describes the experience this way:

"The whole thing is still a blur, but what I do remember is the fear. The kind that grips your chest and doesn't let go."

Hear how their family found strength through the darkest moments and why organ donation gives families hope when they need it most.

Full Circle with Ms. Wanda
Saturday at 10am
97.5fm KDEE and via livestream https://kdeefm.org/listen-live/

You won't want to miss this one.

06/16/2026

A new episode of Ms. Wanda's Full Circle is available to listen! 🎧

Hear from Brad Barroso, who turned the loss of his son, donor hero Trevor Barroso, into a mission of hope through Trevor's 2nd Chance Foundation, and learn how organ donation continues to change lives and strengthen communities. 💙💚

Listen to this episode of Full Circle at https://open.spotify.com/episode/2bA4RPUklcs5JBIHn7VmfB?si=Rf4CN_-RR5ygl1qxq123fA&nd=1&dlsi=394bd19a9fad4c9d

Tomorrow on Full Circle...

What does it mean to turn heartbreak into hope?

Brad Barroso knows firsthand. As the father of donor hero Trevor Barroso, he has transformed personal loss into a mission of service through Trevor's 2nd Chance Foundation, supporting donor and recipient families and advocating for organ donation.

We'll also catch up with Sierra Donor Services to learn what's new, where they'll be in the community, and how each of us can help save lives through awareness and education.

Don't miss this inspiring conversation about legacy, compassion, and the power of giving others a second chance.

Full Circle with Ms. Wanda
Saturday 6/13 * 11am
97.5fm KDEE and via livestream at https://kdeefm.org/listen-live/

06/16/2026

After surviving a devastating widowmaker heart attack in 2009, Earl Lovell learned he would eventually need a heart transplant to survive.

An LVAD helped keep his heart and lungs functioning while he waited for the lifesaving gift of organ donation. Nearly two years after his heart attack, including nine months on the transplant waiting list, Earl received a second chance at life through a heart transplant thanks to a 42-year-old donor hero.

Years later, Earl had the emotional opportunity to meet his donor hero’s wife and share a moment that reminded them both of the power of donation by listening to her late husband's heartbeat through Earl’s chest.

“I feel that what happened to me that night was a blessing. The things that have happened since then are all blessings—the people that I have met, the specialists that I have seen. My whole life has changed 180 degrees.” ~Earl Lovell

Offer hope and healing to those waiting. Sign up to be an organ, eye and tissue donor at SierraDonor.org.

06/15/2026

more than 67,800 men are currently waiting for lifesaving transplants, 87% of whom are waiting for a kidney?

Together, we can make a tremendous impact in the lives of fathers, husbands, sons, brothers, grandfathers, uncles and nephews throughout the country. 💙💚

Support the men in your life. Register to be an organ, eye and tissue donor at SierraDonor.org.