Cheryl “Renee” Roybal: An Emblem of Hope and Unity at the 2024 OneLegacy Donate Life Rose Parade®

SANTA FE, N.M., Dec. 20, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — Cheryl “Renee” Roybal, the distinguished Rider Honoree for the 2024 OneLegacy Donate Life Rose Parade® float, stands as a living mosaic of hope and unity, embodying the powerful intersectionality of personal stories, cultural heritage, and the lifesaving impact of organ, eye, and tissue donation.

Cheryl “Renee” Roybal is Native American, a tribal enrolled member of the Pueblo de San Ildefonso in New Mexico. At 64 years old, she is the eldest of four siblings, married, has two wonderful daughters, and is a “Saya” grandma of 3 grandchildren. Unbeknown to doctors and herself, she became ill and discovered her heart was enlarged. She was then placed on the heart transplant list and was blessed to receive a heart on October 10, 2002, from an 11-year-old girl. She is alive today because someone’s parents said yes to donating their child’s organs. Because of that gift, Renee has seen her girls grow to become women and marry. She has been able to be present at the births of her grandchildren and blessed with many other beautiful milestone memories. Renee is enjoying life and sharing her knowledge of the importance of organ donation at various events in Northern New Mexico and in her local Native American communities.

Renee’s journey is not merely a personal triumph; it is a shared narrative of resilience and transformation that resonates with the core purpose of the OneLegacy Donate Life Rose Parade® float. The float, themed “Woven Together: The Dance of Life,” serves as a canvas for diverse stories, transcending cultural boundaries, and showcasing the universal language of music and the shared experience of organ donation recipients. Renee continues today to participate in her traditional dances; to her this brings blessing prayers for life.

Through the artful sharing of these captivating stories, OneLegacy seeks to gently motivate a groundswell of registrations, contributing organically to the collective effort to save and heal lives. The unspoken power of Renee’s narrative, and those of others, lies in the quiet invitation to join a community committed to making a difference for the over 100,000 individuals in the U.S. currently awaiting a lifesaving transplant.

The OneLegacy Donate Life Rose Parade float is a testament to the collaborative efforts of more than 20 sponsoring organizations, including donation, transplant, healthcare, and family care entities. It brings together individuals from across the country who share a common goal – promoting the gift of life through organ, eye, and tissue donation.

Cheryl “Renee” Roybal, with her diverse background and personal triumph, symbolizes the human connection that transcends cultural, societal, and geographical boundaries. Her story, like many others, unfolds on the grand stage of the Rose Parade, inspiring a wave of registrations and fostering a community committed to saving and healing lives through the remarkable act of organ, eye, and tissue donation.

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SOURCE Donate Life California