Sierra Donor Services

08/20/2026

For 25 years, Donate Life Ambassadors Jess and Theresa Chairez have shared their son's legacy of service and generosity.

Officer Joseph "Joe" Chairez became an organ donor after experiencing a brain aneurysm while on duty in 2000, saving four lives through the donation of his heart, lungs, liver and pancreas. 💙💚

At first, Jess struggled with the decision to donate. But as he prayed, he felt God tell him that by honoring his son's wishes, he would also be honoring Him. That moment transformed his grief into a lifelong mission of sharing Joe's story and encouraging others to say "yes" to donation.

"I always hear recipients say that receiving a transplant has given them a second chance at life, but knowing that my son lives on as a donor hero gave me a second chance at life.” ~Jess Chairez

Sign up to be an organ, eye and tissue donor at SierraDonor.org.

08/19/2026

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: Carmen Vigil

"My Aunt Carmen was an amazing mother, wife, aunt, daughter, sister and niece! She was so good to all of us in her family. She taught us all to love deeply, to show care and to be there for each other, not only in celebration but in hard times. She was like a second mother to me, and we all miss her terribly. She could walk in our family home, and she was a light instantly. She was so full of life with child-like honesty and a great sense of humor! She believed in donating whatever organs or tissue she had that were good when she passed away. She always said 'I don’t need them anymore — why let them go to waste when I could help someone, especially a child?' I admire the person she was. I will always love and miss her, and it brings joy to know that no part of her went to waste. She gave away the best of herself when she was here and still gives of herself after she has gone to our eternal home. Love you always, Aunt Carmen!"

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!

08/18/2026

It has been almost 10 years since Tracee's husband, James, saved lives as a donor hero.

In life, James was a beloved husband, father, brother, friend and a generous and kind man.

For Tracee, James' decision to be an organ donor meant the world to her, knowing that he was selfless enough to think of others as his final act.

Now, she is even more intentional about encouraging communities of color to become donors and highlighting the lives that can be changed by saying YES to donation.

Leave a heroic legacy like James. Register to be an organ, eye and tissue donor at SierraDonor.org.

08/17/2026

Adam Cowan spent nine years on dialysis, waiting and hoping for the call that would change everything. In 2023, he received the lifesaving kidney transplant that gave him a second chance. 💙💚

While undergoing dialysis, Adam couldn't help but notice how many of the patients around him looked like him, underscoring the urgent need for more registered organ donors, especially in communities of color.

Today, Adam is thriving as a Donate Life Ambassador, using his journey to encourage others to sign up and help save lives as registered organ, eye and tissue donors.

"My transplant not only saved my life, but it truly added to the quality of my life. Freedom to live is what organ donation was for me." — Adam Cowan, kidney recipient

One decision can change someone's future. Sign up to become an organ, eye and tissue donor at SierraDonor.org.

08/13/2026

Dr. Velma Scantlebury-White is the first Black woman to become a transplant surgeon in the United States. Over her 40-year-long career, Dr. Scantlebury-White performed an estimated 2,000 organ transplants.

Born in Barbados, she and her family immigrated to Brooklyn, New York, when she was 15. Pursuing her dream of becoming a physician, she eventually earned her medical degree from Columbia University. Eight years later, Dr. Scantlebury-White earned her Doctor of Surgery from Pitt School of Medicine, a first in the country.

Recognized as one of the top doctors in the U.S., Dr. Scantlebury-White is passionate about educating communities of color about the need for more organ donors and the rising number of patients in need of transplantation. 💙💚

08/11/2026

"My story began when I was 5 months old and was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis. Childhood was very normal for me despite my diagnosis.

However, at age 18 and in college, my health began to change drastically. My medical team informed me that my liver and kidneys were failing and that I had developed cystic fibrosis-related diabetes.

After spending most of 2025 in and out of the hospital due to frequent lung infections, my medical team informed me that a transplant would be necessary. They were very concerned that if I received a liver and a kidney, the cystic fibrosis in my lungs would, over time, affect them, so it was decided to transplant both my lungs, my liver and kidneys – something that hadn’t been done in Illinois and only 5 times previously in the U.S. My family and I were very worried about the surgery, but also about the possibility of not finding a donor with my rare blood type.

In January 2026, we received the news that a donor match had been found. After 36 hours of surgery, I woke up with a new light. We are so grateful to my organ donor and their family who decided to give life to me during their time of pain. I am here today as the first quadruple organ recipient in Illinois because of someone whose generosity extended beyond themself. I am here today because someone decided organ donation could save a life…my life." – Jasmine

Sign up to be an organ, eye and tissue donor at SierraDonor.org.

08/10/2026

Every breath Jose Graciano takes is a gift. After battling COVID-19 for months in 2022, Jose went into respiratory failure. Doctors told him that a lung transplant was his only chance to survive.

At the same time, Raquel Colucci's life came to a tragic end after she suffered a brain hemorrhage. Through her decision to become an organ donor, Raquel gave the gift of life to five people—including Jose.

Today, Jose and his wife, Anita, could not be more thankful for Raquel and her gift. They've even had the opportunity to meet Raquel's family and share her story everywhere they go with a custom car dedicated to her selfless legacy. 💙💚

"Now that I have my new lungs, I just want to keep [Raquel’s] legacy alive and share her with the world and let people know she is my hero." ~Jose Graciano, Double Lung Recipient

One decision can create a lifetime of gratitude. Sign up to be an organ, eye and tissue donor at SierraDonor.org.

08/06/2026

Congratulations to Sierra Donor Services CEO, Sean Van Slyck, on being recognized as one of the Sacramento Business Journal's Nonprofit Executives of the Year as part of the Corporate Citizenship Awards!

This well-deserved honor reflects Sean's visionary leadership, unwavering commitment to our mission and passion for advancing organ, eye and tissue donation. Under his guidance, Sierra Donor Services continues to innovate, strengthen community partnerships and create more opportunities to save and improve lives.

Please join us in congratulating Sean on this incredible achievement and thanking him for his dedication to the donor heroes, transplant recipients, donor families, partners and team members who make our lifesaving mission possible every day. 💙💚

Read the full interview at https://www.bizjournals.com/sacramento/news/2026/07/28/corporate-citizenship-awards-sean-van-slyck.html

His organization has served the greater Sacramento region for more than 40 years.

08/06/2026

Want to spread the word about organ and tissue donation but don't know where to start? Become a Donate Life Ambassador!

Our inspiring group of Ambassadors includes families of donor heroes, individuals waiting for lifesaving transplants, transplant recipients, living donors and others who are passionate about saving lives through organ, eye and tissue donation.

Anyone can be a volunteer Ambassador—join us today by signing up at https://www.tfaforms.com/5093683

08/05/2026

We're honored to share an extraordinary achievement by the Sierra Donor Services team! 💙💚

Within just a few days, our team in California helped save two lives through the successful transplantation of livers from 84-year-old and 91-year-old donation after circulatory death (DCD) donor heroes —the oldest DCD donors in our organization's history.

This remarkable accomplishment is a testament to what can happen when every donor is thoughtfully evaluated, every opportunity is explored and every gift is honored. It also serves as a powerful reminder that we all have the power to save lives regardless of our age.

We could not be more grateful for our dedicated team, our hospital and transplant partners and the donor families who made these lifesaving gifts possible. Their compassion, expertise and commitment continue to create hope for patients waiting for a second chance at life.