In late October 2024, the office of Congressman Mike Levin issued a Certificate of Special Recognition for Lifesharing organ donor Gavin Raceles. U.S. Representative Mike Levin serves California’s 49th congressional district, which includes Gavin’s hometown of Oceanside.

The certificate was presented to Gavin’s parents, Tawni and Chris Raceles, on the fifth anniversary of their son’s passing. Young Gavin saved three lives as an organ donor when Lifesharing found matching recipients for his heart, liver, and kidneys.

District Representative Salome Tash also presented Gavin’s parents with a certificate of their own, honoring their “extraordinary strength and compassion in raising an exceptional and inspirational child.” Indeed, Gavin continues to inspire people long after his passing.

His floral portrait was featured on the 2024 Donate Life Rose Parade Float when it glided down Colorado Boulevard on New Year’s Day in Pasadena, California.

Later that same year, a short film about Gavin’s life was recognized by the Pacific Southwest Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. The film, which was created by Lifesharing Public Relations Director Anne State, was nominated for a regional Emmy award in the Video Essayist category.

Lifesharing volunteer LeeAnn Pusateri marked the 10th anniversary of her double-lung transplant in October 2024. A decade ago, LeeAnn was on death’s doorstep, suffering from pulmonary fibrosis. The autoimmune disease ravaged her body and essentially turned her into a walking skeleton—she withered away to a mere 85 pounds. Breathing felt like sucking air through a straw, and she had to carry an oxygen tank with her everywhere. Her children lived in constant fear, thinking their mother could die at any moment.

Then came “the call” from her transplant center: a pair of matching lungs from a deceased organ donor had been found. LeeAnn rushed to the hospital for surgery, writing goodbye letters to her children just in case she didn’t survive the operation. Thankfully, she not only survived—she thrived.

For more than a decade, LeeAnn has served as a dedicated volunteer for Lifesharing, using her second chance at life to educate and inspire others. With her new lungs, she has spoken in more than 500 classrooms and reached over 31,000 local students with the message of organ donation. Lifesharing’s high school outreach efforts are led by Christy Heymann.

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In another milestone year, Lifesharing saved a record 437 lives in 2022. As the organ procurement organization (OPO) serving San Diego and Imperial counties, Lifesharing coordinates organ and tissue donation at the end of a person’s life.

Last year, we helped transplant 211 kidneys, 93 livers, 65 lungs, 57 hearts, and 11 pancreases (also known as pancreata). The total number — 437 — is a new annual record for Lifesharing.

“These numbers represent lives saved,” said Executive Director Jeff Trageser. He said the milestone was made possible by the hard work of our medical team and the generosity of people in the San Diego region. “It’s all centered on the families who chose to donate. They’re the ones who did this,” said Trageser.

Lifesharing coordinated donations from 140 organ donors and 430 tissue donors in 2022. Organ donors are a beacon of hope for patients on the transplant waiting list, while tissue donors improve a person’s quality of life. (Lifesharing recovers tissues such as heart valves for cardiac patients, skin for burn victims, and tendons to rebuild joints.)

The contributions of San Diego organ donors helped propel the nation’s transplantation system to new heights. According to OPTN (Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network), the U.S. recorded 42,887 organ transplants in 2022 — the most ever in a single year.