Rita Jackson
Rita Jackson
OneLegacy Ambassador
Over the past 10 years I have spoken to the Corona City Council, the staff at Corona Regional Medical Center, students from Corona and Centennial High School, members of the Corona Rotary Club and the board members of Corona/Norco Unified School District. As well as at a variety of community events throughout Southern California. The topic of my speaking engagements is, how registering for organ, eye and tissue donation impacts many lives. The inspiration to speak on such an important subject came from the loss of my only child. Her wish to become a donor gave me the strength to push through the pain and has resurrected the passion that I once had to help people. When I realized how a simple decision could impact so many people, such as in my daughter’s case. She saved and healed 81 lives. That enlightenment lit a fire within me and pulled me out of the fog of grief. In telling my daughter’s story there have been hundreds of people who have made the compassionate decision to register for organ, eye and tissue donation. This has been accomplished by having prior knowledge of who I will be speaking to and emphasizing those parts of my daughter’s story that will engage the audience. Although I was very successful in my previous career in finance. This new endeavor is much more rewarding!
It has been said, “The strongest woman is one who has lost a child.”