FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

December 31, 2023

San Leandro Unified Student Joseph Sanchez Honored in Rose Parade

SAN LEANDRO, CA - The San Leandro Unified School District is proud to share that Joseph Sanchez, a resilient SLUSD student, has been selected as the honoree to ride on the Donate Life Rose float in Monday’s Rose Parade in Pasadena.

This honor comes as a fitting tribute to Joseph, whose life has been described as a miracle by his doctors. Joseph's medical history has been marked by tremendous challenges, beginning at just seven months old when he was diagnosed with cancer. Subsequent to that, he underwent a liver transplant, followed by a kidney transplant seven years later. In 2023, Joseph received a new heart, capping a rare and remarkable journey through three sequential transplants that his medical team described as unprecedented.

As Joseph embarks on this momentous occasion at the Rose Parade, the San Leandro Unified School District extends its heartfelt congratulations and encourages the community to celebrate Joseph's resilience and the gift of life made possible by organ donors.

For more information about San Leandro Unified, please visit www.slusd.us.