2024 Float Walkers
Meet the inspiring living donors.
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Celeste Rodriguez currently serves as the Mayor of the City of San Fernando. Her eldest brother received a kidney from Celeste following five years of dialysis. Just after celebrating 10 years of the successful transplant, her brother celebrated another milestone: In October 2023, he walked his only daughter down the aisle for her wedding. It was a beautiful and emotional moment for the entire family. Celeste is the daughter of an immigrant and has been inspired by her parents' dedication to social justice. Service was ingrained in her upbringing and she has dedicated her life to public service. Throughout her professional career, she has worked to improve the quality of life in communities by creating policies and programs that respond to people's needs. She is continuing that work now as the Mayor of San Fernando. Celeste received her bachelor's degree in Economics and master's degree in Social Work. She is raising her two young children with her husband Robert. -
Jason McCluney's path to becoming an altruistic, two-time organ donor started with a conversation with a friend about driving past someone stranded on the side of the freeway. His first thought was always the same: "I should stop and help." But other voices would bubble up in his mind: "They'll be fine. Help is on the way." In 2019, Jason decided to listen to that first voice and began his journey through UCSF's living kidney donation program. Just before Thanksgiving in the same year, Jason got the call and it was time to go to in for surgery. His recipient was a mother of two young kids and had an autoimmune disease. In 2021, Jason decided to become a living donor twice over and donated a part of his liver. His decision to donate a second time gave his recipient the chance at a cancer-free life. Jason credits his wife's philosophy on giving with helping him through. He says "my job is to be of service – not to decide what happens next or how they receive the generosity," he says. "The job is to give and let go." -
Katie Becerra overheard a conversation on Easter Sunday in 2016 that a family member, Steve, needed a new kidney. She found out that blood type and tissue needed to be a match to be a donor. When Steve said he was O positive, without hesitation, Katie replied, "That's my blood type; I will get tested." The testing began shortly after, with an appointment at the Loma Linda University transplant center. A few weeks later, Katie got the phone call she anxiously awaited. She was an almost perfect match! On June 27, 2016, three months from the day of the family gathering, Katie, Steve, and all their family gathered for surgery. The transplant was successful, and the donated kidney started working immediately. When Katie learned Steve returned to work full-time at the firehouse where he is a Captain only four months after surgery, she overflowed with emotion. Her family lives healthy and happy, spreading the word of their remarkable donation story. -
When Sened Isaac learned that her sister desperately needed a kidney after her kidneys failed during a critical emergency heart surgery, she immediately began the extensive testing to give her sister a second chance at a fulfilling life. When she found out she was a match, there was no question that Sened would selflessly volunteer to be a living donor to her sister, and donate her kidney. After a successful transplant surgery at Stanford Hospital, Sened was able to recover fully from surgery in a few short weeks. Today, Sened continues enjoying a full, healthy life. Being a Cal State University Northridge graduate in Communications, Sened has a passion for producing television and film, and she hopes to inspire others to register as organ, eye and tissue donors. Sened is an unsung hero in giving her sister the ultimate gift of infinite opportunities life has to offer. Sened's sister, Bana, will also be honored on the float as a rider.