DONATE LIFE ROSE PARADE FLOAT -VISALIA, CA - VALLY PARTICIPANTS IN ROSE PARADE INCLUDE APPALOOSA RIDER, ORGAN DONOR

Source: Visalia Times - Delta

By: Maria Ortiz-Briones & Eric Woomer

When the California Transplant Donor Network called Visalian Sunny Luna during the summer and asked her if she would "mind" riding on a float on the organization's Rose Parade float, she couldn't say no.

"This is an opportunity of a lifetime," said Luna, 35, who has been involved with the organization for years.

Luna, one of at least two Tulare County residents who'll take part in the 121st Tournament of Roses Parade in Pasadena on Jan. 1, will use the opportunity to promote the benefits of organ donation. Luna's kidneys failed when she was shortly out of high school because of her battle with lupus; she's had three kidney transplants.

In January, Luna received a transplant from Maria de los Angeles Yepez, a pastor at the Universal Christian Church of The Salvation Army in Fresno. Yepez, 57, became a three-organ donor, saving three lives.

Luna is one of the 24 organ-transplant recipients from across the UnitedStates who will ride the float at the Rose Parade. A "floragraph" — a portrait created with flowers and other materials — featuring Yepez and other donors from across the country will be featured on the float.

"My donor gave me a new life. I am able to raise my son," Luna said. "I learned to appreciate life a little more."

Luna, her husband, Chris, and her 8-year-old son, Christopher, will leave Tuesday for Pasadena, where they will attend various events and help decorate the float.

Luna plans to wear a red sweatshirt from California State University, Fresno, her alma mater, to represent the Valley.

"It's an experience that is unforgettable," said Luna, whose husband and son will watch from the grandstands.

More Information

The "Donate Life" float is entry No. 10 and the fourth float that onlookers will see, Luna said. Information about the float is available atwww.donatelifefloat.org.